I may be your neighbor
Or work as a caterer.
I might serve your food
Or fix your hairdo.
I am a taxpayer
And may be a bricklayer.

There are some occupations
That reject my persuasions. 
A job application
Comes with consternation.
Mention a background check,
My heart hits the deck.

All that I ask
Is to give me a chance.
My mistakes of the past
Were treated with an iron cast.
Time has given me skills
And has strengthened my will.

I will prove my worth
As I embark on new turf.
I feel like an outcast;
How long will this last?

As I live in your community,
I yearn for the unity.
What you see is the real me,
Living with a felony.