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.
Untitled (I Wake)
By LC
I wake
to the sun rising in the East
the rays burning my eyes
as I shake off the sleep
My first vision is bars
before a screen and a half open window
beyond that is cages
a gun tower and twenty foot wall
Then I see something else, everyday
that should give hope to all
High upon a pole. It waves at me
Sometimes to the East, sometimes to the West
Surrounded by blue skies and white clouds
Both symbols of freedom
Both symbols of life
Today I feel neither, tomorrow will be the same
I am of the world, but not in it
So I stare out the window and wonder, WHEN
When will I live my life in this manner
Of life, of liberty and the pursuit of happiness
WHEN, I ponder as I look at the star spangled banner
Midnight Pause of Nature
By JW
Express Yourself
You are true
Unbound by space and time
Down to earth, Paradise within reach
I breathe in the mountain air
This is the way of nature
The sun arises over the mountain
I express gratitude and reverence
I yearn to walk barefoot in the grass
Is it safe?
The moon turns orange on my right and shines
through my window
Is it looking at me?
The geese disappear
What happened?
The flowers are gone
Did I do something wrong?
I would love to eat from a fruit tree
It brings delight to my taste buds
I see a rainbow in my sink
Did it just wink at me as a coded message in time?
1,000 Reasons
By DC
To care, it’s 1,000 reasons.
1,000 ways to feel within the 4 seasons.
To go on. To continue. To strive.
Innumerable are the reasons to be alive.
With the passing of the time, is a reason.
With the countless dying, is a reason.
1,000 trees is a reason to breathe.
1,000 trees is a reason to read.
1,000 potential “fall in loves”
Is 1,000 potential babies to breed.
Yearly missile simulations, is a reason.
A reason to act.
For 1,000 moments lived,
Are ones you can’t get back.
To convince the quitters, the ones giving up,
I have 1,000 pulls to lift their heads up.
1,000 reasons to believe in one thing,
is 1,000 reasons not to doubt.
1,000 unanswered things for each,
is 1,000 reasons to figure out.
Ignorance is a reason to learn.
Ambition, Dreams. Goals.
All reasons to yearn.
Hatred is a reason to love.
For, with every 1,000 wounded,
Should warrant 1,000 hugged.
Dear Mom
By HW
I have to bring it up, remember what you told me?
You said, “Son go outside and play,”
And when I got scraped up you said, “everything would be OK.”
You told me life was like baseball, three strikes and I’m out.
You told me drive slow, but you never said, don’t take the fast route.
When I was young, I thought you knew everything,
Until I realized that death was a part of our reality.
Mom, it’s like the world’s against me, because I’m black.
I want kids, but I don’t want them to go through that.
Why do they hate us?
Why do they laugh?
It’s like you get your respect, when you get your cash.
Mom, what’s modern day slavery?
I thought slavery was dead.
So constitutions and amendments mean nothing, now that Lincoln is dead.
I’ll go read a book and find what they hid,
Because you told me, they been hiding things there, since I was a kid.
What I Saw
By BP
Inspired by The Cook Up by D. Watkins
I saw, I saw from behind these white walls
A child gets taken from his life as his vessel falls
Mothers cryin’ over their children
It was the worst feeling they ever saw
Wondering how could God let them down
Including the law
The smile and laughter of the good times they shared
The feeling of regret at the time when they weren’t there
That unbearable feeling deep down
That feeling they call fear
Not wanting to feel the pain
Of their child not being here
America
By AG
The story of freedom always was a work of art
A picture perfect dream that melted my heart,
We defeated the odds
We as a nation seen our first black president
In the land of the free, and I’m proud to be a resident
Everlasting victory, we made classic history
But as of Nov. 2016 we are now back in misery
Man, I ask God to turn this demonic night back to day
open our eyes and see things His way
We all are blinded by our own desires
And the hate is spreading burning like wildfires
Is this the ugly future we want our kids to face
Grow up and be mistreated, because of their race
This is a disgrace, we all should be ashamed
Democrats, and Republicans we all are the blame
This campaign was the spark to the flame
I hope this poem becomes the reader novocaine
It’s time to wake up before it’s too late to make up
Hate to see my country so divided, one track minded
selfish, secluded, and confined.
Without compassion, and empathy as our sight
We will remain channeled, static and black and white
America the great, a beautiful democracy
has flip to hate and hypocrisy
One Election set off the detection
of constant oppression, race neglection
Religion rejection, to separation
immigration, kids scared of deportation
Damn, we all need reflection, a lil’ god meditation
Because prayer is the only medication
to the hurtful situation
God bless America
Lost Child
By JM
Motivated and inspired by Native Son by Richard Wright
Lost in this jungle that they call a world
Sometimes, I walk in this jungle like no one else is there
I feel like a scared little child
Running and hiding from my deepest fear
Sometimes I cry and wake up in a cold sweat
Wishing people can see what I’ve just seen
I tried to tell people, but all they say is
Boy, you are a lost child, and that was just a bad dream!
So now I’m wondering, is it just me or everybody else?
Is my vision that blurry that no one else can see?
Because they seem so far, far away
Like the birds flying on top of the sea
Letter to Myself
By Sam
Dear Sam,
Get it right
Time is ticking away quickly
Stage IV
5 cm. x 7 cm.
Get it right
Spend as much time with her as possible
Don’t explode
Make allowances
Get it right
Get out of here ASAP
Kick the habit
Don’t come back
Get it right
Make the time count
Love her like never before
Hold on tight
Get it Right!
As always,
Sam
Samuel wrote this poem after learning that his mother has lung cancer. The measurements refer to the size of the tumor.
Liberty vs Justice
By GL
I HAVE A DREAM . . .
that the people of the world will reign supreme
above the clutches of racism and oppression
Those who can’t relate to our struggle
misunderstand our aggression . . .
Politics incorporated money as a part of our blessings
So now I’m stressing, due to a lack of blessings
Looking at my affiliates sideways because 1 or 2 of their loyalty’s in question . . .
Power to the people
Who’ve stood in the trenches, and demanded the right to be treated equal.
That was my grandparents’ story
Now the government is trying their best to manipulate the sequel
Power to the person(s)
Who’ve obtained, what needed to be obtained
in order for them to gain, what needed to be gained
Slavery was abolished, so they forced us into chain gangs
Jim Crow was put to pasture, so they built a lot more prisons
Drugs and alcohol was pumped into our communities
so they can manipulate and cloud our visions
Gangsta rap and movies was produced
to manipulate our decisions
Slavery was justified by religion
That’s why we go HAM, for what we believe in
Because I am what I am, and that’s not what they programmed me to be
So when I look into a mirror, all I see is me . . .
Unafraid to face myself . . . no I’m not a sell-out, so no, I don’t hate myself . . .
I live by a high standard, so it’s hard for me to rate myself . . .
The sky isn’t MY limit
For my horizon isn’t burdened by the power of restriction
Reborn
By DJ
I’ve walked down many roads
But this one has to be the longest
The mellow cool breeze and the beautiful sky
With the peaceful sound of birds chirping is the calmest
Feeling at an all time high
Relaxed and relieved of stress
Now that I’m renewed and clear
I can truly say I’m blessed
Now I feel bold and confident
Because I overcame my fears
I used to feel expectant and challenged
Because of the pressure of my peers
I no longer feel like that lost little boy
I was scared and so alone
Now I am a man
Brave and anxious to right my wrongs
The road used to be a million miles long
Now it’s a joyful walk
On my short journey home
I hated myself for a long time
Feeling bitter and scorn
Now I’m open-hearted
And my insides are cozy and warm
I love feeling empowered and satisfied
Now that I’m reborn
Unsolved Mysteries
By DW
Blindness affecting love
War obliterating peace
Miles and miles of loneliness
And for what?
No one knows.
Freedom locked away forever
and at what cost?
Will no one unbury the lost?
Will the children of the stars forever cry?
Will their tears continue to flood the streets?
Who will answer for this?
Secrets being revealed
Water polluted
And for what?
And at what cost?
Who will answer for this?
No one knows
Untitled
By WD
If the body that you rent
Is not just a cup but the content
Then your identity is entity
The time you spend with me is never wasted
I speak truth and help you face it
To take you far beyond the basics
One with patience
Looks at this bankrupt nation and misapplied enumeration
As the reason why there is a matrix
I’m here awake with
So many sleeping minds, I have to keep in mind
Not to calculate the steps I take
Because the steps I take are eager
To fulfill a greater will
Everyone is great until
They find a blind time with no help left
Why don’t you help self
Unless you have something better to do
But what is better than you
WD encourages the reader to suggest a title.