The Tears of a Prisoner

By AR

When I weep, I weep for those of us who’ve, as a result of our own whims, paid the price of our freedom.
I cry for those of us who’ve been forewarned of our demise and still….remained heedless.
I mourn for my people, who incarceration has weakened.
My tears fall for this broken justice system, that’s failed the masses.
I cry for my peers in handcuffs, restraints and shackles.
For young Michael and Freddie, my tears flow steady. 
For Trayvon and Tamir, I’ll always have tears…
I hope one day we’ll wake up, those of us that are left
For Eric Garner I mourn, who drew his last breath
As the time progresses, imprisoned I’ll say
But for the moment you all see I’ll long for that day
Will change come? Or will we remain a nation
With the highest population of people, not just of color but humans entrapped
Existing in enslavement?
Will instant gratification continue our deterioration?
And they ask “from where comes your rage?”
It is rooted in the countless fatherless children and my brothers in the cage
And the heartbroken mothers with children in the grave
That the policemen have played
So tell me, shall I protest peacefully?
For the politician will only make vain promises for us to enable their entry into high offices
That’s why the ex-con, the ex-addict and hooker gather at our ghetto caucuses
Will it always be this way? Forever the same?
See when I cry, I cry for better days
See me, I cry 4 change

2 Comments

  1. Brian Chappell on August 6, 2015 at 2:40 PM

    Dear AR,

    My name is Brian, and I am an English Teacher living in Washington, D.C. Thank you for your beautiful and powerful poem. Like a symphony, it consists of two movements, with a finale that brings them together. The first movement speaks to mourning and sadness. You show us the power of tears, the ways that our crying can go out from us like a prayer without words, a more honest type of prayer because it comes from deep within. You express your feeling of communion with those who suffer, and with those who have caused suffering through their “whims” (what a striking word that is). I find that mourning (and especially crying) is one of the most important moods we can be in, because it allows us to put away our anger, our fakeness, all the macho stuff. Once we put those things away, we can come closer to love and connection, to truly feel our own suffering, and the suffering of others.

    The second movement moves away from a tender sadness toward righteous anger. The world seems to want to give nothing to those who suffer, to perpetuate “enslavement” through mass incarceration. It’s clear as day that this is a huge problem. And to be angry at this problem can be productive. Your voice must be heard. And more and more, They (whoever “They” might be) are listening.

    But after this second movement boils your rage, the rage turns once again into a new type of sadness, which is touched by this frustration. It seems cyclical, hopeless. But you wisely tell us that you “cry for better days,” you “cry 4 change.” I see you, I see you. I cry with you, too, though I’m very different. We need to all cry together. Thank you for reminding us.

  2. Reid on January 22, 2016 at 7:45 PM

    Don’t know what to say…you said it all.

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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.