My Phenomenal Woman.

Shay is her name and she is the best
I love her so much that I forget all of the rest
Caught up in the game
Caused us so much grief and pain
Our addiction so strong, did us so wrong
Just to get along
Now clear headed and on a better path
We start to pick up all our aftermath
Look back on our past
I’m glad our love mde it last
We learned from our mistakes
So I’ll be there at the gates
With my arms wide open is how I’ll wait

-J.L.

 

Embracing

As we embrace the pain, we embrace the rain
It falls from the sky as tears fall from my ete
They drop just because and no one knows why
Just as people love and just as people die
The time we have spent – this love is not a lie
Your feelings have changes
I don’t know why
Something I stay awake and sometimes I cry
I’ll be off to the pen, so here’s my goodbye

-J.L.

 
To Change My Ways

As my soul breaks like clouds on the horizon
I find myself trapped in this insane asylum
My mind is down the drain with so much pain
I’m coming apart and acting strange
I guess this is what happens
When you’re locked in a cage
Nothing will change ‘til you turn the page
So I find myself reading
Sitting on center stage
This is my life and I’ll live it my way
Take it breath by breath and day by day
I will have to work to change my ways

-J.L.


Life’s Struggles

Can someone please tell me why?
Why life has so much struggle?
What happened to my piece of the pie?
Why do some people get to drive brand new Mercedes benz
And jaguars but my old clunker won’t even pass smog?
Why do some require a maid or a butler
To answer a knock at their door?
But I need a pistol and a vicious dog?
Why are some people blessed with walk at sunset
On their own private beach?
But where I’m from, where I live,
It ain’t even safe to walk the streets?
Why do some people get to drop their kids off at private
Schools to be lectured by college professors?
When my kids show up to school
The first thing that they pass is a
Good old fashioned metal detector
So I try with all that I’ve got to get my family out of the hood
But the economy took a dive
Now the job market ain’t no good
Can’t find a job with no education
Feels like modern day segregation
No paid sick leave
No paid vacation
401k? Never heard of it
But I know parole and probation
Life seems unfair,
Filled with so many struggles
Mexicans and blacks fillin’ those concrete jungles
Mija, daddy’s not coming home
He stabbed someone in a prison rumble
So will someone please tell me why?
And what’s going to happen to my daughter’s
Piece of the pie?

-C.B.
 


Untitled
The voice that I hear in the darkness
And still of the night
It’s like a song coming from an angel’s mouth
Don’t wake me from this dream
Just let those angels sing
And leave me alone in this abyss
After all
You are just a dream

-M.C.
 


Untitled

The system, from a young teen trapped
Labeled, thown away by society
Left to my own devices
13 years old standing on a corner selling
And smoking crack
My life one big crisis
No graduation day for me because of my choices
From probation to parole
Strung out on meth, now I hear voices
Or is it just my memories
I’m reliving the time of being told I’ll never amount to shit
I know I have to stop using drugs
But my spirit is too broke to quit
Half my life has been spent behind bars
For my drug addiction
Yet not one time have I been offered
Any kind of drug education

-C.B.
 


Untitled

No vivid moonlight, just a dark stark jail cell filled with emptiness. The lack of love
inside of these walls gave birth to deep thoughts of the lack of love within myself.
My ineffable yearnings of wanderlust have been stifled and insatiable appetite for
sex has suffered from the plights of starvation. Stagnation has crept up on me in all
its various forms. Dragging me down on my journey yet never enough to cause me
to stumble and fall. Carrying all burdens and past failures into the hopeful sunset of
tomorrow. On a pale white stallion I will ride from the gates in search of wanderlust.
Love – Moonlight – Deep Thought

-A.D.




She paused, in deep thought…
The moonlight softly played upon her

Auburn hair like several old violins
We didn’t speak. We just sat,
Looking into the depths of each other’s
Eyes…
Love pulled me deeper into the
Cage of her heart
Captured at last –

-D.M

In my box of darkness, there’s lots of loneliness and sadness. I wish I could see some

light, but it is so black, dark, and scary. I’m sorry, but I can’t see anything good in my

box of darkness. All that I see and feel is fear. It is so dark.

-J.V.

 

Beauty

You’re just about perfect to my all seeing eye
But I’m not superficial, and your beauty foes
A lot deeper than your exciting eyes
Your soft, smooth skin and your sexy body
Which radiates the most powerful sexuality!
The beauty of your smile
The wonder of your little laugh
And the pitter-patter of your cowboy boots
On my backstep pull me from
Troubled sleep into the most
Beautiful present
There’s no describing the beauty that you
Bring into my world –
It just “is” –
Like the next breath
And the next
And the next

-D.M.





Box of Darkness

Somebody handing me a box of darkness,
What would it look like?
I was once handed a box of darkness
A gift as much as it was a curse
It contained both shadows and visions
Of what was to come into my life
It brought me many sorrows
Which became the seeds of my happiness
In it was all of my fears
Each one dimming my inner light
Shadowed beings that did not give up
Without a fight
In the darkness I became lost
And I searched endlessly for the light
I found that it was within my heart
Where there exists no light or dark
Just me
Inside of that box
No longer scared of the dark

-A.D.




 
Untitled

I am giving you a piece of my heart to remind you that I am always here for you no
matter how far apart we may be. I’m giving you a piece of my soul that will hold
you dearly and never let you go. Whenever you are troubled and struggling to smile
remember that has no limits and goes on for miles. Always smile and always know
that I am thinking of you.
You’ve changed my life in so many ways. You’ve added something special to all
of my nights and days. Always show me that you care. You’ve always given me
friendship that is beautiful and a devotion that is rare. Thank you for all that you are.
If every wish that I ever made upon a start came true, I would be as happy as I am
when I’m with you. Since I really can’t express myself the way that I’d like to do, I’ll
sum up all of my deepest thoughts in three words: I love you.

-M.R.



Phenomenal Woman

Strength in her virtue
Grace in her flaws
Tenderness in her love
Beauty in all
She has given life and bared the burden of pain
Given rise to her greatest joy
A proud mother indeed
She gave me her everything
And spoiled me with care
Her love was my protector
I had no fears or no wants
She was my mother,
But also had to be a father at times
She raised her only boy to be a man
In a world turned cold

-A.D.

 
Danielle

Respects herself always
And she doesn’t take disrespect from anyone
Never accepts anthing less that perfection
And always expects the most from me
She’ll love me always
Unconditionally
And forever
Keeps her head held high
Rain or shine
Perseveres wiping tears
From her eyes
Loves herself and the best of the world
While it has proven unfair
Strong and beautiful
From the ground up to those gorgeous eyes
And long dark hair
She’s perfect in every way
Thin or small
Sick or well
A goddess of heaven
An angel of hell
To me she’s everything
That a woman should be

-R.B.

 
How I Feel

This class is so awesome
I don’t sit and play opossom
To write how I feel
It really helps me deal
To do something right
It helps me sleep better at night
When I think of love
I wish I was holding you tight
I want so bad
To be able to kiss you goodnight
Because my love for you is outta sight
You clear up the clouds and brighten up my life
To set all of this out
Is such a delight

-J.L.

It's just a time in your life...

This too will pass soon enough.

It's just a time to learn about yourself

A time to focus on yourself

A time to figure out where your life was going

And where you want it to be

Make goals Good goals

And stick to them

It will always make you feel great to accomplish them

You will have a bright smile on your face.

The longer I live the more I seem to realize the importance and the impact one's attitude has on life. Your attitude to me is more important than simple facts in life

It is more important than the past. The past you cannot change. So why have a bad attitude?

T.R

A Perfect World

What the fuck does that mean?

Some would say the word perfect itself is an oxymoron

Is that what perfect really is

Proudly humble

beautifully scared

strong in weakness

thriving in a wasteland

Burning while freezing

Broken perfection

a smile in the dark.

-A.A.

You can easily see it if you look

A new pretty shiny

right there on my face

I had the same piece for years

Never changed it

Until I first came to jail

Somehow it was lost

Lucky that the jewel is unimportant

It's the hole in my skin that has meaning

The precious memory

My first one besides my ears

My father near

Me coming of age- able to do it on my own

although he paid

It may be in my nose

but the real meaning is in my heart

-A.A.

Dope Sick

Dope sick off your dope dick

waiting for my next fix

or the next hit

Just a poke- tickle here and there

Oooops my trigger was pulled

Squirting. Coming

Moaning. Giggling

What can I say D__

I'm just Dope sick off your dope dick

-G.H.

Wake up moaning

on the verge of coming

dripping wet

squirting after rubbing

hair pulling. Hard biting.

Your big hard in my little soft

Talk about wet dreams

-G.H.

Acronyms

Giving

One's

Dependence

Thought

In

Mind's

Eye

Jolted

Attitudes

In

Lockdown

Courageous

Heartfelt

Individuals

Living Dependently

Miraculous

Outstanding

Mentors

Cautiously

Observing

Nothing

Criticizing

Everything

Relevant

Noticing

Exact

Differences

Minds

Evolving

Toward

Hateful

Antics.

Making

People

Heartless

Egotistical

Thoughtless

Animals

Mumbling

Incoherently &

Never,

Ever

Satisfied

-K.C.

Shay's rap

Rhythmically blessed with flows that possess,

Id give it a rest, but I'm way over stressed,

I'll rap about nonsense or rap about pain,

I'll rap about struggles or being stuck in the game,

I'll spit flows so savage you'll trip out often,

Yea all my troubles I'm sure drugs have caused them,

but on a light note, I'm holdin' on strong,

I'm aware that I still got some time that's real long,

but I know I'm powerless, there's nothin' I can do,

I won't let it brake me, I'll stay strong & get through, 

Fight thru the hardships & overcome grief,

avoid all the non-sense, I sigh w/ relief, 

It will never be more than I'm able to stand,

Won't bite the hand that feeds me cuz I don't need a man, 

all I need is insight & my belief in fate,

& gratitude always cuz I'll have an out date

-S.G.

Incarceration Occupation

They can't seem to relate to my flows spit with haste

But these skills I don't waste

As I await prison gates.

Fate- is so corrupt but that's just my luck

shoulda' listened to my gut but I was too drunk,

sleep deprived crazy

no if's what's buts or maybe's,

blackouts they came daily.

Now, I sit waiting',

these fake friends I'm hatin',

No false shit, I'm statin',

“Convict” is my occupation,

relations- to stress ,

past 8 years is a mess,

Only a backward progress,

I guess I failed this test,

I confess to no less.

No denial I'm in,

my addiction will win,

I carry dark sins,

I know prison's waitin' & my faith is fadin',

see, darkness in nearing,

losing my loved ones I'm fearing,

My eyes start up tearing.

The truth you are hearing- cuz I speak no lies,.

Just look into my eyes

See a past of demise,

hurt and failed times

S.G.

Miss Heroine

So now little man you're tired of grass

LSD, cocain and hash

someone pretending to be a true friend

they said I'll introduce to miss. Heroin.

But now before you get started with me

let me inform you how it will be

for I will seduce you and make you my slave,

for I have sent stronger men than you straight to their grave

the vomits the cramps, your guts in a knot

your veins shouting for just one more shot

miss.heroin till death do us part

-J.J.

Change

Mindless words surround me

encircling my thought like vultures

on a hot day in the Mojave desert

I learn to shelter myself from the

damage they cause

the confusion they make

Changing how you think

reprogramming your mind

to a different way of functioning

is a difficult task

I know this from experience

because I've tried many times to change

To live a different life,

without all the drama and pain the lifestyle I live can cause

To live a simple life

a normal life without the constant fast pace of running the streets

To just flow like a stream in one direction

toward a life filled with being happy

Comfortable and content

Happy?

-no name given

The days of the week usually go by without me even noticing.

On the outs, for some reason Saturday is the day that held some significant thing for me.

When I would stop, I would say to myself mostly,

"Damn it's Saturday again”or

“It's one more Saturday.”

I don't recollect the day I got dropped off into town.

Or the day it was I fell in love.

It's been two and a half years since I got here

A whole lifetime feels like it's happened since that day my life started over.

And as Elton john sang, “Saturday in the park,”

my inspiration, sitting in the park right by the duck pond...

Maybe those birds knew I was already home.

-A.D.

 

The following are the result of a prompt about dreams:

Dreams

I used to have a recurring dream.

I was me, a very young me,

running through an old Victorian white house,

a very big beautiful Victorian whiet house.

I ran and ran through this house, looking for and finding new places to hide.

There were always many doors in my very beautiful big, white Victorian house.

I don't know what I ran and hid from,

but I do know I was very frightened.

Avery frightened child running through a beautiful, big white Victorian house,

with never ending doors.

And I remember now, it was an unfurnished, beautifully big Victorian house

that I ran through in my dream

I don't know what this dream meant.

but I dreamt it for many years,

And I am happy to say I no longer have that dream.

-G

Dreams

I don't know why I don't dream.

Somewhere I heard once you stop using drugs you stop dreaming for a time.

Well, for me it's been years and years.

I don't remember my last dream- 

I remember when I was a kid, having fun dreams, like flying.

Before that, I can remember having the same nightmare over and over.

I can remember it like it was something I dreamed last night.

A monster was chasing me, and it's a starry night.

I'm running and running, out of breath I'm trying to get home.

I get closer and closer, 

I'm sweating and out of breath and the monster is at my feet almost

I arrive.

I try to open the door to my home and it's locked, so I ring the bell.

Someone answers who I don't recognize, 

Telling me my family has moved and it's no longer my home.

then I woke up- sweaty and out of breath.....

-L.M.

Dream

I have a recurring dream about snakes.

I'm totally scared, actually terrified of snakes anyway.

But here goes:

It in my home town in Florida. It's a small town. The only gas station in town is where I am. Standing on the side of it. All of a sudden all these snakes are on the ground just slithering over my feet. Like probably over 200 different snakes. I am frozen in place. Afraid if I even blink, I'll be consunmed in them all, biting me. But at the same time it seems as though I am like this mama snake and should be taking comfort in their comfortness... In their ability to be giving affection the way they are, toward me. I realize all of a sudden I am holding an albino reticulate python across me like a scarf. That's about when I wake up!

-Ashley lattin

Dreams

I wake up from my dreams in cold sweats and screams

Can't breathe, chest heaving in pain

all my energy just completely drained

Dripping sweat all down my face

trying to figure out where is this place

as my eyes start to focus and my breathing slows down

I realize I'm still behind walls

still got my knees to the ground

Fell out of my bunk trying to run from my life

Felt like it was chasing me with a two-sided knife

Trying to stick and slice me all sorts of places

Can't figure out why it never leaves any traces

Only deep ones inside that nobody can see

that hurt only within me and showing up in dreams

Can't tell no one the damage

Can't show them no scars

All I can do is write about it behind these damn bars

One day they will heal

eventually they fade

scars of bad dreams will one day behave

-J.J.

The following are the result of a prompt about Winter:

Winter

A time of chilly weather

where we huddle to stay warm,

Bundle up in your favorite hoody

some people cold, may seem warm.

Colds are not caused by the cold,

but illness still takes it toll.

People's life, not better than body heat

Why do you think so many babies are born in June?

Winter's cold... summer babies

barren to life.

long nights, short of light

long daze, short of night

change is constant

relieve, oppress

freedom in a cage

likes, dislikes

depend upon at which angle you stand.

-A

Winter

one microscopic, unique flake at a time

turns into a beautiful nursery rhyme;

you wouldn't see it at first glance

it would be gone before you had a chance,

melted away without a trace

to another form of God's grace

A celebration you say,

all these holidays,

but of course with money or family

everything is.

A white fluffy blanket covers it all

-E

Untitled

When everybody is gathered warm inside

I like to run, galavant, play outside.

you buy presents, decorate and sing

I fantasize about buying a ring.

I look at your new toys

all the laughing girls and boys.

It's only a matter of time

before their playthings are mine.

Soon to be thrown away and forgot

scavenged by me and my friends,

everything has value, beautiful or not.

Snow is beautiful with a fire to keep you warm.

I can still enjoy it even without a home.

The ultimate season to cuddle,

all my senses come alive.

The second snow turns to ice,

how dangerous this fluffy blanket has become.

Frozen to death; with my friend has come

The reaper has no mercy to some,

white sparkles off every surface

like the world has lit a candle

in silent celebration for all that is lost.

Being homeless, winter is not ideal;

white, the world is tucked away and warm

The world is open to me, freedom is what I feel.

-Anonymous