The Following poems are not from prompts:

Word to the Wise

Sentenced to life revealed to me, understanding in life, accepting the good with the bad, found true love, peace and beauty in all, which I never knew while I was physically free. Now that my physical freedom has been revoked, I find myself more compassionate to others, wanting to live, ever more & remembering my father's words: “there's no better advice than the advice life gives” and “life is beautiful if you know how to live it.”

-R.H.

9/23/13

The Golden path to... somewhere

To be let down, just one dream away

to find your path, rutted, unpaved

It began so smooth, a promising destination

Step by step, however, beholds further desolation

The promising path, gloriously golden

Is making you question; was it the right path chosen?

Because the further you walk, your way darkens in mist,

now you're just befuddled as fuck, starting to get pissed

So the question of all questions.. is this the path of gold?

Should I plow ahead burdensomely, or should I create one of my own.

-T.F.

4/1/13

Ink Pen

You do a job all day

so the artist knows his love

you do a job all day

albeit pushed and shoved

you do your job all day

for the artists knows no love

you do your job all day

Why? Just because.

Or

Ink Pen

You do a job most artists love

All day, pushed and shoved

Ink pen, you still do your job...

What the fuck?

-D.L.

4/13

She isn't proud of what she does

but does it all the same

she knows she's just playing the roll

of some man's lonely game

At first it held excitement

but that's long since grown old

her body is growing tired now

her heart's long since turned cold

D.F.

4/13

Medicine

My love is pure, I know for sure

Cuz if I get sick, you are my cure

Your words, they heal me

your eyes, they steal me

I wish so much you could hold and feel me

Unconditional love for only for you

when you're not with me I come unglued

losin' my mind

one day at a time

I start to freak out

I guess I'll be f.i.n.e.

Freaked out, insecure,

neurotic and emotional

all these feelings are uncontrollable

I find myself not sociable

I sit so very depressed

all these times you hit me in the chest

pushed me away

I tried my best

I love you my love

forget the rest

I stay loyal to you with each and every breath

p.s. somehow this is for you

-J.L.

4/13

The following are responses from a prompt about turning the mundane into something beautiful:

Hard to Love

It is so simple a kiss

then she starts to wash a dish

Fresh coffee made.

She suggests we go watch the parade...

listening to broken butterflies.

It sometimes makes you feel better to hear their pain.

Is every day the same?

The the end when I went to judgment day

to have prayed and to have prison delayed

so I may love her on my birthday.

But my love could not take the pain,

to find out she had run away to Blaine.

But can I blame?

Never I pray that we can love again.

But will my love ever flourish?

I just take medicine

I may never will

-D.

Sip sip slurp slite sip

hot coffee on my lip

so morning, noon and night

got to have something

that sends me out of sight

such to say it's a part of

each day in day out crazy

way in part out of sight

cup cup cup coffee not tea

got to have it

for you for I and we

Just taking time

by making it through each mundane Monday

What to say to my coffeeshop bab

nother day nother day

Out of sight in some way

Kicking it, sipping it, loving it

coffee shop bab loving each day

-C.D.

Mundane, my Monday

Ahhhh, rise-n-shine, it's program time

Where's my socks at? My feet are cold

I wipe the eye booger out my eyes,

roll up my mattress and I'm ready to go

Colombian roast in my cup

One sweetener one creamer

that's my cup of joe

Oh, is it last call? Fuck it, I'm over it.

I'm going to let my cup cool and use the restroom

Brush my grill as I'm holding my thang thang

Wait a minute, did I wash my hands?

Back to my cup of joe,

just perfect, sip ahhh

Now I'm headed to the patio for a breath of fresh air

ahh, rise and shine, it's program time

-S.L.

Mundane

My daily routine in County Jail

Something I do every day

Wake up and thank God for another day of livin

-M.L.

Well... my daily routine, every day

I get up like around 9 or 10 am

I take a piss then brush my grill and wash my face

I fold my blankets and make my bed

Sometimes I clean my cell and scrub my sink

and metal toilet, it depends on if I'm in the mood

Then I make myself a cup of coffee

With cream and sugar if I got it

After I enjoy my coffee,

I head to Estiva's cell and wake his ass up

and ask if he'd like to work out

And if we're lucky, get the radio

and work twice as hard to get our money

So beautiful, just feeling good

bout myself staying fit

-M.S.

When I get up ready for a brand new day,

I make my bed, brush my grill , wash my face and make sure I don't have any eye boogers or anything like that... then I head out, drink some nice hot coffee and greet my fellow convicts. This right here is my “mundane” for now.

-R.B.

Writing this comes from within

Because it is me; my own

When I really gave it attention, I found

the beauty and the ecstasy that it can release

in deep concentration.

It's the character where choices come from... feelings

-R.H.