I interviewed T.O. back in the summer of 2017. He’d just gotten out of prison, where he’s spent the majority of his adult life, and he was trying to figure out what to do next. After we met, he found employment and he enrolled at the Community College of Vermont. Things were going well. But what does it feel like to start a brand new life? It’s hard. And it’s complicated.
Credits
Music by Brian Clark
T.O.’s Poetry
Patience
Peep dis…
What’s patience??
What’s life w embracing trials and TRIBULATIONS without…
Patience???
Like…ppls ignorance… judgements…n gossiping…
Without patience.. there is no
Betterment!!!
I can’t reach my goals(10 folds)..
Until I reflect or resurrect..”my new from my old!!”
Looking back only seems
To subtract..&..
I find myself on da WRONG tracks..
Blinded by what..
I COULDN’T KEEP INTACT!!!
I initiate All I make…
Bcause it’s a fact…
“ONLY WEAKLINGS BREAK!!!”
God disciplines…
So with each reprimand…
Im grow into thicker skin..
Which brings into existence…
A GREATER MAN!!!
My physical is living proof…
How PATIENCE..is da key
which could ONLY..
Strengthen me..
2 b a wiser me!!!
So PATIENCE…
How I love thee…
I’m not single..
But damn bitch..
“Would u marry me??”
Peace…
Triple OMEGA
What’s Love?
What’s love?
Y is it so much pain??
Y does it shone lite on my soul..
Regardless 2 my darkest rains???
Y can’t I c past it??
Y won’t it allow me 2 4 get?
Y do I admire it as if..it’s my twin bastard??
How can it tug on my mind??
Y do it give me visions..when I think I’m blind?(what am I??)
Y do I continue to bust thru shittyations?
Y does it give me strength..n all I’m facing?
Beauty b the name!!!
Victorious n all life’s Lane’s..
But 1 thing…will always remain..
Dis motherfucka… won’t Eva get tired of GAIN..
It will make a sane person turn..INsane.
It’ll also mend a 💓..dats been crushed & broken..ova n OVA again…
It’s ONLY 1 rule 2 dis game..
Which is Neva/EVA rush…
Or u will find yaself in da repetitive position…!!!!!!!
P.e.a.c.e.!!!
I’m TripleOmega
It’s EZ
It’s EZ..2 have friends..
When ur tricking..or spending dividends!!
It’s EZ…2 smile@ life..
When it’s breezy, smooth or nyce!!
It’s EZ…2 have sights..
When Ur tunneled visioned..
Thru what U swore defined..
Da right life!!!
It’s jus EZ…to say..I Love U!!!..
When U don’t reflect on da issues..
Or da shit dat made u!!
So…if U ask me..
PERSONALLY… I don’t agree…w Any1
Or Anything dat respects…EZ!!!
TRIALS N TRIBULATIONS…
bring mental n spirit-u-all..
PERSEVERANCE..
Bcause da True key to being PROSPEROUS..is when Ur @
Peace…w PATIENCE!!!
What dey eat… WON’T…
make u SHIT!!!
SO…what dey drink..
CAN’T make u piss!!(get it?)
It’s a lesson…(less w/n)
Jus ask yaself a question…
WHO DROPPING U JEWELZ
4 DA PROPER DIRECTION?
All hugs n smiles.. don’t come w blessings…
So..b on point w who u have in close sections!!!
Ya enemies..are truly ya friend…
Bcause they teach u 2 manifest…morals..like..HOW?? WHERE?? WHEN??
So..I ask u my FRIENDS…(lol)..
Is having it EASY…
Defining a win????
If so..u Betta think 3x again..
Peace n blessings…T.O.
Amazing interview from T.O. We can all learn from him! Although he’s been through hell all his life he still manages to keep on pushing! His poetry is awesome! May GOD Bless T.O. and Erica and Susan and anybody else that’s apart of this beautiful podcast! Your podcast can and will encourage millions of people and even save lives! Hoping for many more podcasts to come!
To T.O., Erica, and Susan, Thank you so much to each of you. The baby may choke on the steak, but if it gets lucky, somebody chew the steak first, then give it to the baby, so it can eat it up just fine. Like Vaughn Hood wrote to me, two years ago ‘You never know who might be walking past you on the sidewalk, let alone someone halfway around the world’. Well, T.O., I am walking, not just past you, but beside you. Kind Regards, Stan.
You are in my prayers T.O. I hope you will keep writing poetry and working toward becoming the man you were meant to be. You obviously have it in you to do good things. The playing field of life is not level, and you have had many more challenges than most. For that I am truly sorry, my heart aches for you. You can rise above those challenges, and discover your special gifts and purpose.
The company you keep will help uplift you or drag you back. I hope you find the uplifting kind. AA, NA and Al -Anon can provide endless support and lasting friendships, and can be found any day of the week wherever you are. I know this from spending many years in Al- Anon. It saved me… from myself.
Another tool that gave me so much hope and direction was a book entitled ” Bad Childhood, Good Life.” By Laura Schlessinger. I got the audio book from the library and listened to it over and over until I believed that I had the power and the tools to rise above the chaos of my early years. She talks about how to cope when you have no idea of what a normal healthy love filled life looks like. She gives all of us a blueprint. I highly recommend that book for anyone who has suffered childhood trauma.
I wish you well. I will keep listening, and hope to hear of your progress. Peace.
I think T.O. has found his future (in his poetry). I want to hear more from this person whom I’ve come to know from this podcast. Those of us who’ve spent a lifetime covering up (our frailties) in order to “fit” or succeed in life can be easily won by this person who is so real, honest, raw. It tears at one’s heartstrings. What better way to reveal oneself than through poetry. I hope T.O. knows how precious it is to the reader. Thank you both, Erica and Susan, for this introduction and please keep us posted. How do we get T.O into the right hands? Who will be his mentor? Will his poetry go beyond this podcast ? I think you have given T.O. a leg-up by exposing him to the WORLD; let’s see where it goes from here. I hope it will lead to something positive for T.O. so that he comes to know his worth to others.
Maybe eventually T.O. could be instrumental in changing our approach to incarcerating people without programs to express themselves through the arts not to mention other life skills
Every single person in America should hear this piece. It shatters stereotypes about what a “criminal” is, what a “felon” is, and even what it means to come from a “broken home.” WE have so much to learn from HIM. His explanation of what it means to try and enter a world in which he has never felt comfortable is CRUCIAL – it’s everything. Anyone who thinks it’s simple to shake off the kind of trauma T.O. has suffered and just become a “productive citizen” who follows all the rules of our society needs to hear his story. Though it seems more and more remote these days, I still feel that the only viable route towards changing people’s minds is by telling the stories of others, and having them find some way in, some way to find themselves in the story of someone who’s nothing like them.
I just listened to this episode, and the first one with T.O. , many things come to mind but first : is he doing okay today ?
If you are in touch with him, please let him know that his words are making a difference accross time and the Atlantic, listening to him just blew on my embers in a way that makes me believe in a fire again. Not-rushing to catch up is some skill indeed, I am learning mine in an altogether different universe but his words help like nothing here has so far. I hope he has found his way into the plain life he was working towards.
This podcast is a gem, thank you Erica ! I keep listening and listening and it keeps broadening up my world in ways that are so precious and illuminating. Good conversations indeed, what a treat.
What an absolutely lovely comment to receive on a Sunday morning. I don’t know where T.O. is now. I’m going to reach out to Susan and see what she knows. I will say that I know he went back to jail sometime after
that interview but I’m not sure for how long. It is very hard to stay out of jail once you’ve been in as often as T.O. Has been. The legal system has very long, sticky fingers…
I am so glad you took the time to write and am glad you’re enjoying the show Lucie.