Fire and Ice

By AW

Never shall I die in prison as my dad
died in 1999
Fire and wind of the sky
Fire and ice of my soul
Stirring within my heart the
love of life needed to grasp heaven within
A tale of sorrow, abandonment, and enslavement
Survival of the fittest
The sole survivor, souls survive
Though I may die a thousand times
In a thousand different little ways
Never shall I die in prison as my dad
died in 1999

I fly,
fire and wind
I sing,
fire and ice
Never shall I die in anybody’s cage.

“I will not be counted among the broken men.”  - George Jackson

3 Comments

  1. Susan on March 16, 2019 at 3:30 PM

    AW, I am sorry about your dad. He would be proud of your determination, and of how beautifully expressed it is in your poem.

  2. Kayelynn on April 15, 2020 at 10:27 AM

    AW,

    I’m sorry about your father’s passing, but I believe he’s happy that your spirit hasn’t been broken by the dark events in life. Your perseverance and bravery shine through your poem, readers can tell you’re not one to lay down and give up. Keep writing, I’m excited to read anything else you’d be wiling to share!

  3. Nikayla Kirchner on April 23, 2020 at 5:16 PM

    I am very sorry to hear about your dad, and I love your determination to change the expected way of life for you. I thought your repetition of “never shall I die” to be a poignant and powerful statement of defiance against what life and people expect of you, and emphasizes your overall journey into self-reflection and defiance against the system. Continue to keep expressing yourself through your art!

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The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.