Penitentiary’s Soul

By AG

Penitentiary’s therapy
Thriller of the cage;
Or is it rage?
An emaciated man
covered in a crimson crown,
head unbowed.
Stall-fed verifier
Subsisting on other’s tears
Or is it fear?
Herculean beastly forearm.
Crisscrossed with scars;
Each slice a clash
With weakness.
IN the center of your pain.
IN the center of your fear.
Penance or punishment,
Heaven or hell
Monastery or grace?

You, alone decide.

7 Comments

  1. Adelaide on February 5, 2019 at 11:25 AM

    This was an amazing poem! It had a great rhythm, I could imagine it being read out loud. You have a really specific voice that’s lovely to read. The final line drove home your message in a clear way. Keep writing, you’re great at it!

  2. Jonah Thompson on February 5, 2019 at 12:16 PM

    I love the rhyme scheme in this poem. It gives it a nice flow.

  3. molly on February 15, 2019 at 11:47 AM

    The imagery that you incorporate is spot on…….powerful messages here……..keep writing……your message is needed in this world!

  4. Kimberlie Hogan on February 15, 2019 at 11:54 AM

    There is a pattern of rhyme (cage/rage, tears/fears) . that is lost in the end. If you can find a way to add towards the end the read would be consistent. The mood of your poem is engaging and serious. It connects your audience to your pain and experience. Keep writing. I enjoyed this poem.

  5. Kayelynn on April 15, 2020 at 5:01 PM

    AG,

    You’re a talented writer, your words flow together beautifully and your imagery evokes powerful images in my mind. I also like how you brought up the notion of free will. We all make decisions that we may regret later on, but we also have the choice to move onto something better if we work towards it. Thank you for sharing this poem!

  6. JM on November 13, 2020 at 2:41 PM

    Dear AG,

    Thank you for sharing this poem. This one really caught my attention because it reads like a riddle. There are so many striking images that follow one after the other that it pulled me in and made me curious as to what the poem is getting at. Ultimately, the lines “an emaciated man / covered in crimson crown, / head unbowed” reminded me of the story of Jesus, and the religious imagery you used toward the end convinced me of that. I really liked how the poem was a series of questions that ended up asking the reader how they would react in the face of suffering and persecution. It’s such a powerful way to put the reader in that position and ask them how they see themselves reacting. Thank you for writing and sharing such a striking poem– it made me think a lot about being in this character’s shoes.

    Best,
    JM

  7. Clifford on November 20, 2020 at 5:46 PM

    Amazing powerful message, continue the good work!

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