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.
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Tears of Hope
By LG
Dedicated to Free Minds Volunteers
Poetry bleeding from my instrument
Staining my canvas for years
Generosity pouring from my peers
Transforming my hope into tears
It seems like it was just yesterday
When I realized this wonderful gift
Ever since I opened my present
My life has taken a shift
When your desire for something is strong
The manifestation will come to pass
Uncontrollable emotions
As you say to yourself, “At last”!
Cursed since my incarceration
now blessed and highly favored
Indebted to a Free Mind
This taste will forever be savored
After a finished masterpiece
I step back and stare in awe
All thanks and glory to god
For a talent I never foresaw
Eager to encourage the world
I humbled myself with joy
With passion to strengthen the weak
Into a fortress no one can destroy
It’s hard to express with words
But thank you for giving me hope
My tears describe my emotion
As a brilliant kaleidoscope
Police Terrorism
By JM
Installing fear and terror in the minds and hearts
Of mothers and little children
Fearing one day they’ll get the call
That their son or father has become a murder victim
It’s a shame, who knows if this will stop
Being young and black in Amerikkka
My thoughts are, “Will I get slain by a cop?”
Police brutality
Has evolved into mass police terrorism
This is the harsh reality
Look at the times in which we’re living
Police getting away with murder
Never having to see a day in prison
It’s everywhere for the world to see
Via the Internet and television
So many hearts and homes are broken
With the terror of breaking news
Police abusing their authority
How many lives must we lose???
For several generations
Countless lives have been taken by the hands of the police
Police terrorism will cease
Once love overcomes hate
And then maybe we’ll find peace
Until then, it’s Just Us
Looking and fighting for Justice…….
Mirror
By DJ
Sometimes I look in the mirror and don’t
Recognize the reflection looking back
I wish I could back track rewind my actions
For the past decade
All of my problems seem to be man-made
I’m losing my identity trying to seem strong
When everything around me is wrong
In the pen struggling trapping
What the f*** happened to my life
I know it’s not the end
I just can’t wait for the good times to begin
I can’t even slow down jumping from plan to plan
Chasing that million dollar dream, Get rich quick scheme
In a place where your only escape is through a book
When I look in the mirror I see eyes dark from so much pain
It’s a miracle I’m not insane
I don’t remember the man that use to laugh and joke
And brighten up everyone’s day
Through this pen and pad I release my rage
One day I’ll be free from this cage
And the mirror will know me then
I’m Thankful
By B.
I’m thankful for the first time I felt pain
because I’ve learned that something in life
is not a game.
I thank God for the first time I experienced
the loss of a friend’s life
it taught me life is precious and if you don’t respect it,
it might be your last night.
I thank God for the time in lock-down for 23-1,*
because even in darkness
I was awakened by the morning sun.
I’m thankful that I’ve been separated from woman,
God’s most precious treasured molded in gold.
Their beauty is so incomprehensive
and complete, man’s soul.
I thank God for allowing my friends
to testify against me on the stand;
at that moment I knew he was all I had
and my faith should never be put in man.
Some day and night through Karma
the things you see in the dark comes to light.
So I’m thankful most for seeing things
not just black and white,
but in 360 degrees a complete circle of life.
Life is moment of impact that causes ripples in the sea
the things we go through is a reflection
And not our true destiny.
So don’t be weary of what you go through
in the valley of death
but be proud of the reflection
in the mirror of the man that’s left.
*23-1 refers to being in a cell for 23 hours a day, with only 1 hour outside.
Here Again
By LC
I think I’ve been here before
Belly chains and ankle shackles
Stacked on top of each other
I just ate where I defecate
Is this 2016?
Or a New World southern state?
I think I’ve been here before
Hundreds of miles from my birthplace
Ain’t seen a loved one in 10 years
Long days and a lot of tears
Death as a slave is my worst fear
I think I’ve been here before
Voices of abolitionist
Stories of freedom to the North
Stories of freedom through the courts!
Injustices rectified
Involuntary servitude nullifies
I think I’ve been here before
Arms linked in a show of unity
White and black alike
For justice, we march
For freedom, we fight
I think I’ve been here before
And we weathered the storm
I know I’ve been here before
And through strife is where
victory will come
I Am Thankful For
By K.
I am thankful for music
As this is the calming I need each day
I am thankful for literature
As it provides a temporary escape from reality
I am thankful for my health
As I am better able to help those around me
I am thankful for my friends
As they help me keep life in perspective
I am thankful for my education and wisdom
As I am better prepared for life’s daily struggles
I am thankful for my godmother
As she has shown me true unconditional love
Most of all I am thankful for God Almighty
As He has given me the capacity to forgive and love
What are you thankful for?
What Goes Unspoken
By SK
Why is my life not valued the same as yours?
Why are my rights the same but still ignored?
Am I not human, am I not living?
Are we the same being or are our species different?
I can’t tell and you can’t truth
But lie well, you indeed do
All lives matter the same
But mine is not seen, unless in shame
My history changed into what you want me to see
Mirror of my life altered into what you want me to be
Force my words until peace is a tongue we can no longer speak
Bring a big pie of violence that we can all eat
Mmmmm! Smells of cherry deceit
Try to crush me until I crumble but I stand in undefeat
Mockery of your society
Lands me in a state of dire need
Despite the liars
He strives to be
Higher on hiring employees
To build my cause, to cause the fall of your company
What goes on unspoken
Free Your Mind
By LC
Free your time so I can Free your mind
They traded auction blocks for courtrooms
Free your time so I can Free your mind
So now the bullpen holding more brothers than it’s supposed to
Free your time so I can Free your mind
Looks to me like slavery is still well and alive
Free your time so I can Free your mind
The prison industrial complex is extracting millions from our communities
Free your time so I can Free your mind
The only way to fight this is with education and unity
Free your time so I can Free your mind
He who possesses the Philosopher’s stone possesses the Truth
Free your time so I can Free your mind
And you can look within and find that truth in you
Free Minds transcend time
The Unthinkable
By RN
Trapped in a place away from where I want to be
With feelings I deaded, resurrected back and haunting me
Pandora’s Box unlocked sat right in front of me
An empty space to fill it with whatever that I want it to be
How crazy it is it’s you and me I’ll rather see
Other than who’s close to your heart that who’s been wanting me
I feel guilty for these thoughts but the heart is the chooser
I feel wrong like when the help is becoming the user
The thoughts hurt in my head and it could be a tumor
The whispers you’re hearing out love is in fact not a rumor
It’s just some measures doesn’t always equate to the ruler
Damn, how far will I sink before I start to choke?
How many burdens must be removed for me to come afloat?
How will I even get you to see beyond the scope?
How bout we both just go for what’s certain and give up the hope?
Yeah, I think I like what is more than what isn’t
And that’s the feeling of your presence through these halls in prison
Without an option can you even make the best decision?
Without a problem will you even hear someone’s opinion?
Huh! I guess rhetorical it is the most
Guess it’s the memories I hear of you and not a ghost
I guess it’s all safe to say than keep it bottled closed
A tattoo of your name
I did the unthinkable
The Difference Between Dr. King And Me
By SH
I don’t believe this is the dream Dr. King had for me
Somewhere along the timeline, my decisions rewrote history
My choices had voices
Those senseless noises shoulda been avoided
But here’s the difference…
When King was taking a stand and marchin’ for a cause
I was taking a fall and wasn’t marchin’ at all
Couldn’t cover the distance of 3 days and 54 miles, in search of a vision
That the march on Selma, for those who didn’t get it
King stood for peace
While I stood for the streets, which lead me to a place I no longer wanna be
His life brought us Civil Rights
And I sold my freedom to time
Those decades are now deceased and laid to rest in my mind
King will forever be a legend
While my reputation seems like it’s not worth remembering
When my baby momma showed a picture to my child and asked
“Do you remember him?”
I was a strange face to them
King sold a belief that lifted more lives than I put down on concrete
He moved a nation
I moved to any cell that was vacant
King was an activist, a philanthropist
I was on the active list of warrants that only a felon can get
We both had mug shot faces with a rap sheet
King’s rap sheet bled through with integrity
When he was assassinated on a balcony
My rap sheet bleeds ink, when you read about the worst in me
That a character suicide cause I made up my mind
That I was gonna do or die and that frame of mind
Will never lead me to a Nobel Peace Prize
King’s leadership paved a way with the potential to be great
My leadership dug graves, where I laid my potential to waste
He prayed for better days
I prayed for a better way when it all seemed grey
While King was trying to reconstruct a nation and bring an end to segregation
I’m in the pen politickin’, ready to ride on other races and bring an end to segregation
Situation into a permanent placement
He tried to educate us
I wasn’t trying to be educated enough
King was dream chasin’ and I was chasin’ a buck
That’s penniless sense that no longer adds up
Now here’s the big difference between King and me
I’m living this nightmare and King died for the dream
I think it’s time to wake up and make the change and redirect the course of things
My Ultimate Sun
By RE
Your light shines to the ends of the universe
Far beyond what anyone can see
N.A.S.A. has classified you phenomenal
In all that you embrace with energy and love
To all existence, always persistent
Yet so far and distant
Light years away, but still able to display
Your power, strength and cordiality
You are amazing
What can one do without you?
I’d imagine become weak and bitter
Shiver and wither, from the lack of T.L.C.
Your tender love and care is what I mean
Plus everything in between happiness and elation
You inspire me, Beauty
Awesome Beauty
Inspired me to write this poem