My history still haunts me
in a bewildering
but unthreatening way
a black smudge
on my character
no amount of years
will completely erase
yet a badge I wear proudly
if only to show
how one can survive
the cold facts of failure
still do well for himself
on the right side of the law

Occasional reminded
by chance encounter
with uninformed gossip
or intellectually inclined relatives
wanting to know the true score
I then
as always
give them the wide screen picture

Young and foolish
hanging out with the wrong people
living the high life
of a dangerous fantasy
mixed with
something a little stronger
than a bottle of wine
that quickly hit
an unforeseen roadblock
on my way to organized crime

Proof
that once a convicted felon
not always a three
or even two time loser
just another human being
who once lost his way
now armed only
with the weapon of wisdom
the privilege of knowing
after 33 years
it could have turned out
a whole lot worse
still thankful that
in the end
a whole lot better

© 2011
Revised © 2017

1,350 hits as of March 2024

07/28/2011

Author's Note: As I finished writing this, realized it only scratches the surface, in terms of what went down, what caused it, and what the results were, both physically and metaphysically.

Posted on 07/28/2011
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti