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