Phoenix

Though I freely walk these streets, sometimes I'm mentally confined
Yesterday, today and tomorrow seem forever entwined
When I think I'm moving forward somebody pushes rewind
Gone are the bars in the windows, but not the bars in my mind

I pray I break these chains, but there's no guarantee
I pray to God for freedom, for freedom from me
I put myself on lock-down and now I can't find the key
I need someone to help me, to help me set me free

Free to walk by someone looking my way
without looking back and having something to say
Free to just keep going and enjoying my day
This is the freedom for which I pray

Free to not wanna fight when someone looks at my date
and to not get mad at the waitress if she reaches over my plate
and to not get loud if the checks not straight
Free to be full of joy and love and not of anger and hate

Free to look over my shoulder and not think someone's always there
and even if someone is, the freedom not to care
Free to always be me, anytime, anywhere
Free to find the me that is in me somewhere

The freedom to be accepting of my ex's new man
To not worry about what I can't control and to control the things I can
To try and understand this is part of God's plan
and that this point in my life was coming before time even began

I'm doing much better but I can do better, I bet
I've come a long way, but not far enough yet
I know in my heart this ain't as good as it'll get
If I just always remember, and never forget;

I am free to forget where I was and to know where I belong
I am free to make right all the things I did wrong
I am free to be great like I was meant to all along
and from the ashes of my past I'll rise up strong

This reminds me of a few people I know.
As their friend, however,
I feel blessed to watch them grow.
They'll be free forever,
That much I know.

My very first real try at poetry, not including the poems I created to help my kids with their school work!

Well, I think it's fantastic. I also think you should post it as your first poem. Word.

Not really sure how the title fits in with this piece but I like it.

There were two lines that seemed to be a little rough around the edges.
To try and understand this is part of God's plan
and that this point in my life was coming before time even began
I'm not sure began flows well with the rhyming with the line before, maybe adding 'that' to this line
To try and understand 'that' this is part of God's plan'

I can't really think of a more fitting word to rhyme with 'plan' so I guess just keep 'began' as it is, unless you can think of something better. Also cutting out 'and' at the beginning of the second line would flow a tad better.

Next,

I'm doing much better but I can do better, I bet
I've come a long way, but not far enough yet
I know you are trying to rhyme with the last word, but 'I bet' just seems to confuse the line. Cutting it would simplify it more, but of course that's just my opinion.

You don't have to do any of those changes if you don't want to, but other then that I really enjoyed this piece. Good job. :)

Right on! Advice is always appreciated. A Phoenix is a mythological bird that lives its life, returns to its nest and burns, and then is born again. "and from the ashes of my past I'll rise up strong."