TIMED SERVED viii

EXERCISING THE MIND
ELEVATING MY SPIRIT
REBUILDING MY BODY 
LIVING IN THE TEMPLE
FUNDAMENTAL BASIC TRAINING
TO STAY FREE ~ BE FREE
LIKE GET BUSY LIVING OR 
DIE A THOUSAND COWARD’S DEATHS
I WAS DOING MY TIME ...NOT LETTING THE 
TIME DO ME 
DEFINITELY WAS A CAGED BIRD
DETERMINED TO BE FREE AGAIN.
QUESTION WASN’T EVEN A MATTER OF TIME
RATHER WAS   MORE OF MIND OVER WHAT MATTERS.
EFFORTS PAID OFF IN ALL THOSE SUBTLE AREAS LIKE
EVEN THE  PLAYFUL HEART AT EASE.
MUTUAL RESPECT FOR SELF AND OTHERS 
BROUGHT ME A LONG WAY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WHAT I SPEAK TO IS EXACTLY HOW 
I CAME TO BE RELEASED AND HOME STANDING 
165 LBS. CHISELED...ROCK SOLID...CARVED OUT OF 
A DOGON MOUNTAIN
OF HOPE FOR BETTER NOT WORSE.
DISCIPLINE, PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, 
STRICTLY FOCUSED ON DETAILS.
SO MUCH EMPHASIS WENT INTO 
EAT RIGHT...WORK OUT...SLEEP 
THEN REPEAT..REPEAT....THEN 
THE ONLY OPTION WAS OF COURSE
REPEAT.
ALL ADDED  UP.
I WAS WORKING OUT WITH ONE OF THE TOP TWO WORK OUT CREWS.
NON-STOP ...NO RETREAT...NO SURRENDER...NO EXCUSES
NO SHORTS ACCEPTED, YOU OWE YOU PAY UP ON THE SPOT
PUSH UPS, PULL UPS, WEIGHTS, MORE WEIGHTS
LESS WEIGHTS...MORE REPS.
NO PLAY, JUST SHUT UP..PUT UP.
NO LIMIT MEANT PUSH TO THE LIMIT AND THE CHALLENGE
WAS WAITING TO SHOW UP IN DO MORE
FIND A REASON ...DO IT FOR  YOUR SON OR JUST BECAUSE
WHAT ELSE YOU GOT TO LOSE?
LIKE AS THOUGH...LOCKED UP WITH TIME 
TO DO WASN’T ENOUGH.
THERE IS NO FAIL TO BELIEVE
JUST ROOOM TO GROW.
BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT
ROUTINE BROKE UP THE OBVIOUS
I TOOK TO RUNNING LIKE 
I’VE ALWAYS APPROACHED RUNNING
RUNNING TOWARDS
NOT RUNNING AWAY FROM
THERE WAS JUST THIS 
SMALL REMINDER THAT  
5-6 MILES IS ABOUT THE 
SMALLEST DISTANCE I TRAVEL IN MY MIND.
I RUN TO SETTLE MY THOUGHTS 
NOT TO ANTICIPATE NOR BE RACING AROUND
PLACES ESPECIALLY NOT IN MY OWN MIND.
TRUTH BE TOLD SOMETIMES I RAN
TO BE ALL UP IN THE MIND OF OTHERS
LET ME EXPLAIN ...I WOULD BE BETTER PREPARED
TO DOWNPLAY STRESS ... OR A POWERPLAY
WHEN I CAN BE IN TUNE WITH MY OWN MINDSET
PLUS I RATHER BE IN COMMAND OF MY OWN FACULTIES
WHILE SURROUNDED BY CHAOS.
I COULD FILTER OUT MY EMOTIONS AND
REDIRECT NEGATIVE ENERGY.
I’M LEAST LIKELY TO SHOW AN EMOTIONAL REACTION 
AND DON’T HAVE TO EXPOSE WHAT LOSS OF SELF CONTROL
I COULD DISPLAY WHEN I HAD ALREADY DECOMPRESSED.
THE CONSISTENCY THAT I SHOWED CARRIED 
OVER FROM THE COUNTY JAIL BOOT CAMP LEGEND
JUST BEING IN THE RANKS 
ONE OF THE COMRADES
LIONHEARTED...FIERCE
UNWAVERING SOLDIER OF THE NEW FUTURE.
I WAS BEING WAGERED ON...FOR INSTANCE 
THERE WAS OPEN DISCUSSION OF ME RUNNING UP
AGAINST A FREE SPIRIT ( RUNNER) THAT HAD
BEEN RUNNING 10 MILES A DAY FOR LIKE 6 YEARS
THE CHALLENGE WAS THAT I COULD MEASURE 
UP TO THOSE TERMS ...THAT TRIAL...
I FIGURED HE WAS RUNNING 
TO STAY FREE
HE TOO WAS RUNNING TO SAVE HIS LIFE 
HIS SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL SELF
I DIDN’T HAVE TO SAVE FACE
I RAN WITH HIM WITH HUMILITY AND GRACE
SOMEHOW THIS WAS THE UNSPOKEN CHALLENGE
AND THE OVERALL TRIUMPH 
I MUST SAY HE JUST WAS KICKING UP DIRT AND DUST 
AND ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HEAVY 
HE JUST LEFT IN HIS PAST
KNOWING WHAT I REMEMBER
REMEMBERING WHAT I  KNOW
BEING ADMIRED WAS ONE THING ...BUT 
BEING ALL SQUEEZED AND  FELT ON...POKED AT 
BY MY MOM AND HER GIRLFRIEND (OUR NEIGHBOR)
WAS SO FUNNY AND SHORT LIVED.
REMEMBER THIS, THIS BODY WAS BUILT ON 
SOLID GROUND, NOT CHEAP THRILLS.
COMING FROM WHERE I JUST LEFT, 
THE BACKDROP SETTING WAS PRISON 
I WASN’T ANYONE’S EYE CANDY.
PRISON NOT SWEET LIKE THAT,
NOT TO BE GLORIFIED EITHER
MORE THAN SENSATIONALIZED GLADIATORS.
WHAT I FOUND IN THAT PLACE LIKE THAT WAS
COMMON NOT DIFFERENCES TO RELATE.
WHILE I FOCUSED ON CARVING OUT MY 
MIND BODY TRANSFORMATION.
THE ONLY OTHER INFORMATION WAS
THAT YOU LET PEOPLE 
BE THEMSELVES AND THEN 
YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS
ACTUALLY I WASN’T DOWN AND OUT IN PRISON 
I WAS BEING SHOWN A WAY OUT