You and I were not friends, Jamie,
But friendly acquaintances? Sure.
You were in my English classes,
For as long as your ADHD could endure.
A great ambassador for my classes,
Getting others to join and learn.
But as for you, Jamie, you couldn’t slow down.
Your mind always raced, always burned.
Your passion was your Native past;
I gladly shared all the info I had.
But in the end, it could not save you,
Your demons stayed until the last.
We remember your enthusiasm, energy, and smiles,
But if we are upset for now–
You OD’d so soon after release;
We’d hoped you’d make it many more miles.
Triumphs here are measured in inches, not feet,
For people incarcerated or out on the street.
To rise up above takes commitment and grit,
With help from outsiders who don’t give a sh*t
About why you’re there–you are human, so they care.
And when you lose one you’ve helped, it hurts.
No matter their mistakes, their wrongs, or their sins, To love one another is where healing begins.
Mar 6, 2021
Mar 6, 2021 at 11:32 PM UTC
The rain drums steadily on the roof. Beyond the next wall, a virtual classroom instructor’s voice drones through the speakers like Charlie Brown’s teacher: “Wah, wah wah wah. Wah. Wah.” A door in the hallway rattles as it is opened, and then it bangs shut. Florescent lights above my head whine, pulsating with the pain behind my eyes. The two-way radio crackles to life, a predictable disruption in this house of correction. I gaze around the room; beige plastic-molded chairs sit at tan wooden tables on a speckled tile floor, surrounded by off-white concrete block walls. Dreary hardly begins to describe it. Posters of nature scenes, the Bill of Rights, Branches of the U.S. Government, and other images make efforts to break through the drab discoloration, but the pasty clutter threatens to win the day. After having faded into the background, the rains pick up again, their crescendo and decrescendo toying with the listener, harkening to memories of cuddles with books, blankets, and hot chocolate.
Oct 7, 2020
Oct 7, 2020 at 4:24 PM UTC
I used to get along
with all my coworkers
It was my signature
but lately I've been angry
and
I've become
illegible
Sep 21, 2020
Sep 21, 2020 at 2:10 PM UTC
Sometimes I feel old
over the hill
worn out
ready to throw in the towel
Sometimes I feel young
just beginning life
not yet in my prime
raring to get going
Sometimes I don't feel at all
conscious of each breath
hearing the most inaudible sounds of silence
unsure what to do next
Where I am today
I may not be tomorrow
Where I am tomorrow
I may not be next week
The ebbs and flows of life
and emotion
leave
me
paralyzed
Sometimes
Sep 15, 2020
Sep 15, 2020 at 12:33 PM UTC
We are locked inside a prison
Forced away from light of day
The only windows for our vision
Show us those on life's hard way.
Pithy memes make light of life
bringing chuckles to the heart
But they do not break the doldrums
of the soul oft broken 'part.
Concrete walls and off-white paint
trap us in now seemingly more than ever.
Masked for Covid we feel faint
From these conditions we long to sever.
So up go the posters of trees, sun, and flowers
easing our minds from stresses and pain
Artificial beauty to escape the long hours
before our senses go down the drain.
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 9:36 AM UTC
Get to know her
Get into a relationship
Get into her pants cause her curves fit my qualifications
When I'm done with her I'll just leave her with the kid
And then I'll just start on the next girl that's a push over
Don't fall for a boy
Let yourself be caught by a Man
Let yourself be defined by God
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 8:46 AM UTC
Used to protect
Sharp
Shining
Fierce
Can pierce the hearts of men
Yet preserve them
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 8:46 AM UTC
Set their hearts ablaze
Show them the love they could never see on their own
I don't know what you did to my soul
But I want to see more of your face
So burn through souls like a wildfire
Your spirit is fast and furious
So keep burning
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 8:43 AM UTC
So much knowledge to find
So little time to learn
So many people to teach
So little time to reach
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 8:42 AM UTC
You whispered
And the Stars came into existence
It's beautiful
Aug 31, 2020
Aug 31, 2020 at 8:41 AM UTC