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Prison Poetry Project
| The poems and photographs below were read and taken at the 2011 Prison Poetry Project hosted by ARRO. TO PONDER THE LIGHT OF A GODDESS I walk into restlessness deep to awaken a truth that shouldn’t sleep but only the present chills my mind As I battle myself for thoughts to find another light of darkness and nature’s sweeping storms don’t care How her murky sensuality brings the mind to stalk out where in largos- luna’s gold paints with desperate Strokes do bold the Arcanum lurking thick arousing serpent’s malice cold oh what spirit of the dark indemnifies these crews booming loud outside my window in traveling two’s and fews with moans So grand and rumbling they disguise the inner cries bringing hope to sly beliefs that time will swallow Lies but then gloom saunters in with malicious intent and the lights fade to ambiance for the tables We invent as ignored moon and rabbit watch amused but content what fear is this loneliness-dying That will shed a tear or I will never stop my crying is it fear of self destruction or that strengths will Soon decay or that all my vulnerabilities will be on display as luna showers golden this man’s woeful Sight I think the fear is lack of face I lack the confidence this night so sitting calm I close my eyes and Choose an altered state breathing deep I meditate to ponder the light of a goddess Poem Written by Martin Vargas #133525: 1576 W Blue water Hwy, Ionia, Michigan 48846 SAD EYES I look into your sad eyes and I want to protect you from all of the hurt but it’s better I let you Experience the pain that comes with living deep down I know it’s a gift that I’m giving. I look in your sad eyes struggling to hold back tears overwhelmed by your wisdom beyond your years Lost forever fantasies and innocent youth Replaced with pragmatism and the cold hard truth. I look into your sad eyes and I see hope glimmer With the knowledge that life may make that light dimmer I’ll fight Until you return to when you had Eyes I could look into that weren’t so sad. Poem Written by Ty Slusser#236917: 16770 Water Tower Drive Kincheloe, WI 49788 For Today What is love but a state of mind? Like joy, anger, and sadness it will fade Love is for today not telling what tomorrow brings Love is like a flower blossom beautiful then withers away It comes and goes with the passing seasons Yesterday’s treasures is today’s waste It never last forever Like the blink of an eye Here it comes and there it goes Love brings sweet promises for now It lives within us all just waiting for its moments The fire burns bright slowly it fades With every day come new beginnings So what’s does this tell you Written by: James Lester #657875: 34625 26 Mile Rd., New Haven, MI48048 Choices Some people do Some people don’t, Some people will, Some people won’t. Some people believe And develop a plan, Some people doubt, Never think they can. Some people face hurdles And give it their best, Some people back down, When faced with a test. We all have a choice We all have a say, Are we spectators in life, Or do we get in, and play? No matter how we choose Too play life’s game, The choices is ours, No one, is to blame Written by: Todd Callcut #654781 26 Mile Rd., New Haven, MI 48048 Facing my Demons Never felt like I fit in. That’s just the way it’s always been. Thoughts way heavy from all my sin. On the outside looking in. All I saw was hurt and pain. A broken man questioning if he was sane. Sitting in the darkness wet from the rain. Hungry and scared but never complained. A product of this environment with no one to blame. Thought about it time and time again, But never shared his pain. Didn’t know why this was not even he could explain, Looking out from where he sat in vain. All he saw was the reflection of a man he had to sustain. Left with a feeling of shock and disdain. He realized that we two were one in the same Written by: Virgil lavier#625203 4269 West M-80 Kincheloe, MI 49784 On Edge On the edge of life, fighting back from a mental coma, a phobia of living without knowing the outcome Of my existence in society. How will I get back to it, how will I awake from this canicular trance, reality bite, a living a living hell, a thick postmortem smell, dead weight, dead skin on a gold plate, Hannibal its Not safe, eyelids cover with duck tape, only god and I know my fate, printed tag, no body bag, it will be Things I’ll never have, I’m in a dark place, a man with no mask and you still can’t see my face, care no More, life not fun, abut to break a cookie, these are my crumbs, some nights can’t breathe, thinking About cutting myself just to leave, no natural cause I rather die with a disease, than to be behind bars, So many things, so many scars, couldn’t see this coming from far, cremated out my remains in a jar, Nothing left and I’m just being selfish, life goes on, dying to be home , on edge, this is the end, the System revenge shook hands with society trying to amend, a debt paid 21 years affinity, born black I Strike against me, the best thing I ever had freedom, now put me in a body bag, cause I’m on the edge Written by: Desmend Williams #201665 34625 26 Mile Rd., New Haven, MI ,MI 48048 Reborn If these wall could tall just imagine what they would say. The young adolescent who was once lost has finally found his way. Still His soul is conflicted from the precious life that was lost . So For him prison is the fire for god to remove the dross IGNORANT, INSECURE, LOST AND ASHAMED. The greatest lesson he ever learned was in a classroom of pain. The streets was his rite of passage, but prison forced him to be a man. If Only god can judge him then who are they to question his plans. Why? Have you ever seen a cage bird cry? Just look at my face. I Got a story for each tear and still I’m saved by grace. |
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| NorthWest Initiative - North Neighborhood Center 530 W. Ionia St., Suite D, Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: 517-999-2894 Fax: 517-999-2897 |
| The ARRO program hosts an annual Prison Poetry Project. Inmate poetry is read by prominent community leaders and all monies raised go to support our ex-offender program. For more information about the Annual Prison Poetry Project, contact Monica at 999-2895. |
