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

The following were written by the men in various workshops over the past few weeks.

A tree has a long life span

Like lovers expect when they grow together

Sometimes those lovers make love over time

Like a tree that grows fruit

Or like a couple that has kids

The more you water it

The better it becomes

And the longer the life span grows

From the beauty of nature

by Anonymous

The image in front of me shows a boat with two individuals

Sailing toward a mind

The mind is shown as a brain

In the middle of the body of water

While another mind sits further back

What this signifies to me

Is that these two individuals are trying to find

Sanity

By reaching the inside of their own minds

Through a journey

They share this journey together

And must overcome it together

Only then can they find sanity

And live in peace

I believe the journey they undertake

Is taking place subconsciously

While they lay unconscious

In the physical world

They have a band or link

Driving their minds into one

by Anonymous

It’s forming like a tidal wave

But looking more like a dragon

With teeth like mine

I think I see a choo choo train

Trying to escape from its chompers

by S.L.

As I look in the mirror

I see a face that reflects Death

Through the pain and the lies

That are laid to rest

I hear screams echo through that man’s chest

One chance

One life

I guess I failed the test

by C.S.

I want to live in a world

That doesn't judge a book by its cover

Here is what I know for sure

That people change

by E.G.

My daily routine in county jail

Is something that I do everyday

Wake up and thank God

For another day of livin’

by M. L.

I believe life is what you make it

And you could do what you want

As long as you put your mind to it

I want to live positively

I could be successful when I get out

And do what I desire

And accomplish my goals in life

by R. R.

I believe in God and second chances

I want to live in a world where there is peace and not violence

Here’s what I know for sure

One day

I’ll be home

by R.B.

In honor of  Halloween, the women wrote stories or poems that were inspired by a collection of ghost stories and scary stories.

Probably about 7 or 8 months ago, I was walking on the West Side of Santa Cruz late at night.  I kept feeling like something/one was following me but every time I looked back there was nothing.  So I just thought nothing of it and kept walking.   I turned back again cuz it really either felt like something was there or I had heard something and when I turned back to look it felt like something was right there behind me.  I jumped about three inches forward faster than I ever thought I could move and after that it stopped.

By N.R.

Love’s Ghost

Spirits, demons, the very presence

            of the paranormal

The super-natural, the scary.

Bone-chilling screams and

A whole lot of the unknown

I am excited, intrigued

By that of which we can’t always see.

You see what terrifies me

Is my past history

            Repeating as my reality

The presence of your love

            Lingers

Like the high of my favorite

Drug

The ghost whispering “I love you”

            In the middle of the night

The phantom embrace

            After I turn out the lights

The out of this realm bond

The unseen connection

            The ultimate lovers song.

The gentle tease of your fingers

            On my lips

When I close my eyes…

In your absence

I invite your ghost

To haunt me all the time

Demons don’t scare me

Life without your touch terrifies me.

By E.

The following poem was not in response to a prompt.

Goodbye - Hello?

Goodbye, hello, go away, come back, leave -- wait!
I need you here, now, with me...
I need you gone, far, away from me.
Love -- hate -- misunderstood passion
Love me!  Hate me!  Anything at all
As long as all is me.
I'm too weak to leave on my own
But too strong to release my hold.
Destruction, pain and memories
of better days, smoother times...
Leave! Stay--
Go! Come back
Leave me alone!
How could you actually go?
It wasn't real for you --
      It must have been fake --
           You don't love me!
Words of hate
Would it be easier to accept if they weren't true?
This picture I unfairly paint of you.
Not giving credit where credit is due.
Because if I make you them,
The problem isn't all me, it must be you.
What do I do if the reason you left our dreams
Isn't only you, but mainly because of me?
I ignored the signs, made mistakes all the time.
I said 1,000 "I'm sorry's," and only few apologies
I watched us wither and die.
Communicate?  I tried.
I'm weak, broken, tired
A stranger to my own eyes,
A monster in yours.
Leave, goodbye, stay away
Come back!  I love you, we'll get better!
Crunch -- your knee hitting my face
Squeeze -- my hands at your throat
Wet -- tears in our eyes
Sting -- the names we scream
Whoa -- we wish the other to die
Purple -- always around my eye
Low -- beneath the scum on the floor
Lower, beneath roots of all trees
And, even lower, is where I fall.
Tiny is how I feel
Unworthy is how we feel
Not good enough
But wait! Don't go, although you should.
Plug your ears maybe you won't come back
Too much damage for this to end nice
No pretty goodbye
If you leave I think I might die
But if you stay I'm sure I will
Go away!  But not too far --
Don't look at me!  But don't look away --
I love you, but hate what you do!
Leave, go away!  Goodbye -- come back!  Hi... Hello?  Are you there?!

by E.

The following were written in response to a prompt to write poems about superheroes.  

Jesus...

     Sunshine has a way of making everything more beautiful.  Even the morning glint on the razor wire.
     The miracles he bestows upon me and others is amazing.  Poems I've read today, thoughts and reflections, and then this class, help me to continually realized that I am blessed in spite of my circumstances.
     Friendships ~ that share both joy and pane.
     My hero is Jesus.  He's everywhere, all around me, and he never lets me down.
     Amen.

by S.C.


Scarlett

Her long flowing dresses, flowing all around.  The bell of the ball.
Healthy, snappy, and smart.
Determination.  Courage.  Freedom.
Perseverance and beauty.  Determination.
Passion, tears, sorrow, and pain.
But also flamboyance, integrity, love, and again passion.

by S.C.


FRIENDS...

I need a hero ~ a hero to rescue me from my circumstances.  Does he exist?  Maybe.  I think so.  I think he exists in a friendship I have, who talks to me and understands me.  He hurts when I hurt.  He thinks I'm beautiful.  I think that true genuine friendships are my super-heros.  Throughout my life, whether they be male, female, young or old, or even a cat... they've made a positive impact in my life, that turned my situation around from negative to positive, and made me feel like a million bucks.

I think genuine friends are my superheroes.

by S.C.


From Villan to Hero

La Fem I named myself, stealing from the rich, giving to the poor.  Nakita got way out of hand but bad guys always get caught.  Then an angel named Domenika came and the roles changed and a superhero became now a god, in my son's eyes I can do no wrong and I'll always go above and beyond.  Scratch that, to infinity and beyond cuz now this mommy super hero can do no wrong.

By D.G.


If I was a super hero
I'd just fly
I'd get higher than any Drug could possibly take me
let my heart guide me
As I sore through the aching
An escape from the hate
I await for
love to undertake
me

by N.R.


Good vs. Evil

Villain or hero, is there really a way to know?
Depending on where you sit
Depends on what you see
Perspectives often change from where you see the screen
Too quick to maek up just what it is we think
Often the path of hero is one we wouldn't dream
Lonely, lovesick, often seen as a menace
Still always fighting for whats right
Evil sits and laughts, plots, and schemes
Takes foolish pride in the wrongful blame
     of a great heroes fame.
True -- when all is said and done
     It's the hero who hears the crowd sing
But then again,
who says the villain is the bad guy
and the hero a friend
From where I sit the villain could be my celly
And she's not that bad just a little misunderstood
And from where I sit the hero is a bad guy
     with a gavel
Who judges my fate on only bad interactions and never speaks any good
In my life evil is where I find love and it holds
Good is fake smiles and pretending everything won't
     fall out of place if one tooth is crooked
Evil wins for me because it's what society is scared of.
And what they fear is truth
Where I stand, I need freedom
Ugly or not the truth is real
My hero is truth, the world's evil is honesty
    Both can one day set us free

by E.

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.