Seeing out is seeing in,

giving to; receiving from,

old is young; rough is smooth,

on and on without relief

Mystery lights on empty worlds

knowledge speaks but with no sounds

fortune beckons but retreats

silence drips upon the heart

skin is torn from constant touch

loving fades with every glance

show me now when this will end!

I wonder whatever became of you,

although it’s not that i’m surprised, It’s not that

I didn’t try, it’s not that I’m frightened of you,

although, I said all goodbyes, and you had all

your cries.

– XB

My son, his fingers are so small hair

so curly I’m used to waking up to

his cry in the morning, my son. The

way he smiles it makes me feel like

when he’s away I can cry for

awhile. My son, know that your mom

is someone who would give up

her life if it meant you couldn’t be in it.

My son, I know I been away for

so long but just know no matter

where I go how far I am I’m coming

home, my son. I love you

to death your Father does

too if my life hadn’t went

how it went we wouldn’t

have you

my son

– Tate *

* guest poet from the girls unit

Me, myself and I

the decisions I have made

the path I’ve walked and the

life I have saved

being in here changed me how I

remained

seeing the Sun shine every day didn’t

make me think the same

being in that dark room gave

me a brain

I notice who I was as I sat in

the rain

I called on god and ask for a hand

and to guide my foot steps as to where

I should land

– CC*

*guest poet from the girls unit

Help me understand.

Help me comprehend.

Help me find a solution

To bring this madness to an end.

No disrespect to MLK,

But I feel he wasted his time.

‘Cause worse than modern day racism:

Now there’s black on black crime.

Will it ever go away?

Will violence decrease?

Will we ever know unity?

Will we ever know peace?

Please help me help the world.

Help me distribute good knowledge.

Help me educate my people

Who wouldn’t help themselves with college.

Maybe then the world will change

And see how well we work together.

Help me edify society

And change the world forever.

–  6’10

They say men ain’t supposed to cry

I say being a man ain’t the reason

why.

I get you got your story but I

don’t know my father either

I had a step pop who

used to laugh at my mom and

beat her

What was I supposed to do

at such a young age

I just hid away and

harbored all this Rage

Protected my mother

any way I could except

from the man who should.

– #71

every day’s the same

wear the same dammed jump suit

I hear the walls talking

but I have nobody to run to

some people leave

but it seems that they run back

if I had the chance to go

do you really think I’d come back?

it’s like I walked into heaven

the clouds through the gate

enthusiasm and fresh air

and the music was so great

I was home!  I was finally home.

I saw robins, cardinals, I even saw a deer!

I was drifting off and the C.O. coughed

and I realized..

I was still here.

– Noh

I want to be me

I want to be free

As free as a bird

In the skies that you see

How much do they know

How far do they go

Are they trapped as I am

They don’t show it, if so

Does anyone know freedom

I’ll ask when I see them

I’ll let the birds know

How I’m dying to be them

– 6’10