About the Poetry Blog
The poets featured on this page 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. These 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.
Click on the poem title to open it up, and then post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem.
Penitentiary Blues
By DP
Outcasted by society, looked down upon by peers
Abused by opinion, too afraid to face fears
Wants to be accepted, while invites get rejected
Resolution to my problem, still can’t figure out its Methods
Not counting days, but yet, the years
Racism, Hatred, it hurts and always seems to bring tears
Corrupt a good heart, was doomed from the start
Home is the finish line. But I’m stuck in a jar
Shaken and rattled, hope it won’t tear me apart,
My life, it matters and pride would leave you scared.
Confused by perception, Manipulated By ego
Silence is solitude, and peace is gone way out the window
How could the humble be meek, in a den full of lions
Don’t shade my light or Try to keep it from shining
I dream of the duty, I finally could put this all behind me
Life lesson Learned that I wish on nobody.
Pride
By NL
Every June you see the celebration
The outfits and confetti
A myriad of colors that fill every major city
A coronation for all the kings, queens, and everyone in-between
Who dared to walk their own path to freedom
And ours
Our journeys are different, but sadly tend to look the same
You see the dancing in the streets but not the pain he felt when dad said, “You’re not my son”
You see the signs with LOVE displayed but not the signs of depression from years of isolation by the cool kids
You see the flags but not the crying as grandma had the minister exorcise her
‘Cause she wanted to exercise her right to love
You hear the music but not the tears that ran as we plotted our escape
From families, religions, and expectations
From painful experiences that told us and showed us
We are not enough
Somehow, some way we found the grace that was not given to us
And grace the world with our presence
Choosing to embody the essence of love
And use it to pave the way for a brighter future
A future many have tried to deny us
But we stood up and fought
From Stonewall to Pulse
We bared a cross that was not always ours to carry
Pride is a painful past, a hopeful present, and a bright future
Pride is pain and struggle
Pride is love and redemption
Pride is hands held with former enemies turned family
Even if it means we get no apology
It is the continued fight to see and be seen
To live as the unapologetic heirs to the throne HE said we are
Pride is everything
Nothing and nobody can take it from us
Because it lives within us and seeps into everything we do
Pride, we didn’t always have it but we have it now
And we live loud and proud because we deserve to
Men Cry Too
By MZ
Growing up I was taught to be tough, that boys don’t cry
Showing emotions meant that you was weak.
So I went through life with my feelings absent,
only absorbing pain on this rough journey.
Now that I am grown, showing my vulnerability is nourishment for my soul.
For me it is healthy to express my feelings and I just want you to know
Men cry too.
Black History
By RP
That’s all they want us to be is History
Black power.
Now that’s real power,
The type of power if we unite the
world, we’d devour.
leave the majority sour.
But it’s all a test,
They take our ideas and make it their
own success,
Then we’re stuck oppressed,
depressed,
stressed,
A complete mess,
It’s time to Progress
Because I must confess
We’ve been treated less than the best
And we’re the best by far
It’s time to shine like the northern star.
It’s no mystery
About our Black History
It’s time to be courageous and not coward
To embrace our Black Power.
Fight
By TG
Sometimes we feel like hiding
To
Crawl back in our shell
But
Life is all ‘bout fighting
So
Be sure that you fight well.
Put on
Your boxing attire
Or
Gird in knightly steel
And
Overcome your trials
Regardless of the way you feel.
Dear Mama
By HW
Dear Mama, I want you to know that I love you so much.
Through all the hard times, you held your head up.
Dear Mama, you work so hard five days a week.
Just so I could have clothes, a roof over my head
And something to eat.
Dear Mama, I remember when we had no heat.
You wrapped a blanket around me, held me tight
And said you loved me.
Dear Mama, you stood behind me
Whether I was right or wrong.
Told me to stay positive and remain strong.
Dear Mama, days we had no lights
You told me things will be alright.
Being honest, it was hard for me to sleep at night.
Dear Mama, when you would visit me, it took me by surprise
At the end when we said our I love you’s
I went to my cell and cried.
Dear Mama, expressing my feelings wasn’t as easy as it seems.
I want you to know that you’re my beautiful Queen.
Breath
By TG
Inspired by Kabir
My inner love speaks. I stand still. I listen.
I take in the birds, the ants, the people, the air.
Everything connected to me by the Divine.
Is it illogical I would exist entirely orphaned.
The truth is I tuned everything out
for work, money, prestige and other deafening distractions.
I do not need to be tangled up in other things.
I can tune into, again, to what I once knew.
True peace, love, and happiness is through connection with others.
You can have this peace, love and happiness too.
All you need do
is breathe.
Contaminated Dreams
By RW
I dream about love, peace and happiness in the same sequence as the devil capturing me, taking my soul before turning 19 years old.
Each morning I awake feeling uncomfortable, my heart being cold.
Dreams are contaminated thoughts, empirical surreal nightmares that your mind bought.
I dream about the power of real love, the kind you will never lose or give up.
Happiness is forever rewarded to those who are optimistic, having mind control over contaminated dreams.
Peace is in the sky everytime I look up over the pacific ocean. Your mind, reminiscent in motion through the blue and white clouds. I always dream about the moment of making my mom proud and smile one day.
I dream about walking out of this place; my family, I will embrace outside these prison gates, surrounded with heartfelt warm love shattering this hold the devil has on me. Recapturing my soul. I dream about love, peace and happiness in the same sequence. Something beautiful will make up for this unrealistic experience.
Feelings
By JS
I’m frustrated, I’m mad,
deep down inside I’m sad,
I messed up, I crashed,
I’m really down bad,
I see the light,
it moves further away if I accept my plight
so I struggle, I fight,
I pray that I’ll be guided and be alright.
A part of me feels like I’m dying, as I grow,
if I act like the old me I feel like I’m lying,
I want to live and have a lot to live for,
but living confined in these walls feels like trying to get in a locked door.
No break ins, just bad habits that I have to break out of,
it’s really easy but sometimes I make it tough,
soft hearted from hard,
refined from rough,
I see the road to success
but there is nowhere in here to give this new love,
people will take and keep taking,
Sometimes if I’m nice it feels like I’m faking.
Feelings of contradiction,
the old me was raw and the new me can’t show any feelings.
Sometimes I feel lost even though I’m right there, everyday fighting.
I’ve dreamed new dreams from living a nightmare.
Life with Poetry
By RVB
Your life is the story that I have been looking for,
that voice and vision in which makes me see you in me.
Day after day, year after year
dying to be free, and then you appear
so beautifully expressing the meaning
of divine unity.
Alphabets merging together
to reveal what it meant to be one with creation,
articulating a humanity with a purpose
to love without meets or bounds.
Finally feeling like I’m part of the tree,
from the roots,
branches and leaves,
yes, a breath of fresh air immaterial society.
Dead
By RM
I have never been on this road before
Upon which I cannot advance anymore
There are no roads to the right of me
There are no roads to the left of me
Only
Massive mountainous formation of concrete
200 feet on both sides of me
Furthermore…
When I look behind me
There is no road behind me, “no more”
I am at a complete stop…. Boxed!
With no foreseeable options but to
Stays & wait & pray & have faith
That this is not my end
Absolutely imprisoned in
This final road I chose, not knowing
It would lead to a dead end.
My Children
By DP
Daddy is here for you and it might not be in the flesh
I pray everyday life will offer you its best
You might can’t see me but I know you feel my presence
Love has no boundary and my love is endless
Take my comfort and use it as your shield
My children, loving is the only way my aching heart will heal
Searching for the right words to ease my hurt
I cherish the day I witness your birth.
Don’t ever think I ran away
Daddy obligated to a debt that he must pay
I hold on dearly to your first steps and very 1st words “Dad Dad”
I wish I could hug you so our souls could merge
Sorry for my absence so please don’t be mad
I carry you in my heart now that’s a father bag
Gotta make up and fill in the blanks
Just a little stumbling block got in the way