07/23/2023
QUEST - TALE OF TRIUMPH
BY: JAQUANTA WILKS
Academically gifted, I knew I was a scholar,
Parents never believed in me, only concerned with dollars,
Lost since a child, searching for my biological father,
Only to be stuck with a mother who didn’t even bother,
Wanted love an appreciation so I chose the streets,
Finally thinking someone would accept me,
Spoken word was the crutch to get me out the ghetto,
Only thing out here is crime, drugs, and stilettos,
My minds constantly telling me you don’t have to succumb,
Your education is your key! You’re either successful or a bum,
Outcasted in school only because I was unique,
Made friends with alike minds, formally known as geeks,
By the time I hit high school, I trusted in me,
Teachers and staff truly helped me see and believe,
By my sophomore year I joined ROTC,
Fell in love with being a prospect U.S. Marine,
I had more than one goal, but which was more important?
Raised with a poverty mindset, so my heart was distorted,
Petal to the metal, I can’t waste my intellect,
Studied hard despite life on the outside, I gave it all my best,
By my senior year I knew exactly what I wanted in life,
Just to escape this false reality of turmoil and strife,
Dedicated my soul to be better than my past,
Set my spirit free, and ever since then I haven’t looked back!
