The voice of Espo, the poet of “This is Why I Write” immediately grabbed our attention. His voice sounds empathetic and truthful. His choice of words and his methodical pace is clear enough to touch people, even those “who lose control”. Espo writes for all people who have been through and experienced hard times and struggles in their lives. He doesn’t write for a single group of people, but for both the rich and poor, who are going through issues and difficulties in their lives. Part of what is compelling about this poem is that Espo does not judge people based on their actions. He shows that he understands and feels the circumstances that lead people to make the choices that draw them to be involved in prostitution, gang life, and crime. These acts ultimately lead to incarceration, where he took the time to write the poem. Yet, Espo brings the reader a sense of hope that another path exists to look towards in making better decisions. He points out that whatever decision you make there will always be a fight in life, whether you are rich or poor, free or incarcerated.