Prisoner Express Poetry Anthology 15 Art by Anwar Tapia Winter 2016 AlternativesLibrary 1 A Special Thanks To The Following Contributors: Poets Jeff Keeran Lou Tompkins Jason Adkins David Joseph Kiluk Craig J. Tooney Jacob Blue Baladez Michael Lanning Leonard C. Williams Justin Begandy T. Williams Blair A. Blanchette Stephen D. Laud Michael Winkler Bernadette Bradham Bradley A. McMinn Heather Coffey Michael Chris Morales Artists David Corbin Terrylee Nelson Jimmy Coleman Warren Daniels William Nettles Robert Dennino Tony DuPree C’Leo Michael Pavia Kelly Frederickson Santiago Duran Daniel Peterson Jeremy Hammill William T. Floyd Geneva Jewell Phillips Dominic Marak Chad Frank Brandon Pierce Anwar Tapia Daniel Grunvold Robert Richter Marco Williams Jonathan Holeman Benjamin Rivera Steven Inman Brandon Rushig Damion Jackson Kent D. Simon Huett Johnson Lawrence Stewart II Debbi Jones Anthony Tinsman 2 If Love… For which we all share the I know I left the path you chose by Benjamin Rivera blame and started one of my own, Condemning and forgiving For every question I assumed I If love was a crime To feed the frail and dying flame had the answer so I let my I would take life without parole curiosity roam. Locked inside my cell Is there truth enough in this So here I am broken, bruised, or permanently in the hole. world shattered and all alone, If love is blind To build a steadfast foundation Asking you to please forgive me then I would rather not see That withstands the weight of and welcome me back home. as long as I know trust I hope you hear my prayers that you would be there to guide That sees not race, appearance tonight and open up your arms, me. or station And give me everlasting love If love hurts And that time will not erode, like the day that I was born. then let me feel the pain decay, or rust I know right now you’re smiling Let my heart be tortured down proud of what you see, until I went insane. Beauty and Truth, ever That’s why I’m asking everyone If love was a star intertwined to say a prayer for me. then I would shine super bright Inextricably linked, as body and so that you would see me mind Spring Free every single night. Where beauty is lacking, truth Justin Begandy If love was a puzzle also is missed then I would solve it every Yet as long as one lives, so Prison cell—cold concrete and possible way both will persist steel, by adding new pieces Makes time slow; slower than every single day. the free If love expresses feelings Say a Prayer Who watch time fly by—Busy then it would be compassion by William Nettles Bee’s. but you must put forth an effort Sleep late, wake early— and show it with your actions. Say a prayer for me tonight I it’s count-time. hope that God hears your Breakfast for some, plea, sleep for others. And sends down his gift of Others await the call for work, mercy and shines his light Some will go to the yard, call- on me. outs Ask God to save me from For those with appointments this evil that is the devil, today; And keep me from the depth Everyone’s appointment of hell where it’s hot on is time— every level. Monotonous and I know God will hear my call repeating. but I’m afraid to get on my Calendar pages turn; repeat knees, Another day, a month, a year. Art by Kelly Frederickson And bow my head to the Autumn has come ever slower; mighty Lord and beg him please Soon the fall will end, please please. come winter, Linked It’s been so long since I talked And time moves a little T. Williams to God I doubt I remember what faster. to say, I count down the time anxiously Is there sufficient beauty in this With tears in my eyes I fold my Until I reach the final page; world hands and to God I begin to My calendar’s about to end. To ease the pain of living pray. 3 The end will come on a Feel My Pain I see his eyes dart from spring morn’ by Benjamin Rivera the books on my floor As my cell fades from to the stack on my desk my mind—FREE! Feel my pain limited My pain of cuffs and chains ‘Damn!’, I think, chains around my waist I’ve drawn his attention Love cuffs around my wrist I’m over my limit and by Warren Daniels poor blood circulation he knows it Hips and fists Love is something we all try to can’t feel my fingertips Think fast! find got no grip Not knowing others have left it on this trip “Oh, I was just donating behind for trying to get a grip those books on the floor Some will give up others will loose lips sink ships to the library.” keep trying My ship sinks quick I causally say with a wave. Love is not what you ride in no bartender but, The guard nods Neither how much you can received a tip “Just make you don’t spend No bills, just dimes go over the limit” But it is something we all need and for the crime he seriously advises as he every now and then I clock the watch walks away Love starts out when you meet at 8 I need my books a friend My Time I want to learn Thank you Prison Express for I want to grow being mine! Farewell Summer My life is so by Chad Frank limited Father’s Cry My time is so by Jason Adkins Geese land limited in the prison’s A father’s cry rec. yard; fall breeze whispers, bounded, defined, restricted To help his children “Farewell summer, farewell Caught like seeds summer”— The light of day is so In whirlwinds twisting too soon! limited Violent and uplifting Not caring nor knowing books are boundless, Where the winds are blowing Limited inestimable, considerable, by Daniel Peterson vast, unlimited Feeling forsaken My children were taken I count my stamps, The nature of prison is To a foreign land I count my books, I check the summed up in one Raised by another hand rules, word Yet fates left unwritten I can’t go over the limit! limited Meaning they are given In the light of doom the guard scans my room The nature of prison is Still- potential to Bloom. numbering, counting summed up in one “does he have too much? word I have to make sure” unlimited limited I smile to myself I know what he’s thinking as I nod at the books 4 on the floor, as the guard walks away. Those are the ones I’ve already read I give a soft chuckle unlimited. Time by Geneva Jewell Phillips I don’t have enough left Yet I find there’s too much on my hands I consider reconsider sell my soul to the highest bidder if it would reconfigure my future Art by Dominic Marak my present presence is no present Things have gotten really Shoo Fly, Shoo! of time strange. Benjamin Rivera I don’t feel the way I use to, but a curse Everything is starting to change. Shoo fly, shoo! unable to worsen I don’t sleep good these days, Before I swat you! sealed ad unguilded My memories are almost gone. A sway of my hand this cage Darkness brings me peace of was part of my plan time has wrought mind, then I got you. by body – its own And I’m starting to enjoy being slow prison – alone. Shoo fly, shoo! sentenced Silence is now a welcome I actually missed. to prison sound, While buzzing around Irony And laughter has almost died. your vibrating sound Behind No tears ran down my face, is getting me pissed. Bars The last time I cried. My soft heart has hardened, Shoo fly, shoo! From years in this desolate Just go away. place. Spread your wings Maybe if I lose my mind, go do your thing I’m losing it! These terrible memories will be and live another day. by David Corbin erased. And my past will be forgotten, Shoo fly, shoo! My mom always told me, The future will stay the same. I’m trying to stay calm. That someday in due time, It won’t matter as much to me, You’re bothering me All the things I was doing, If I end up going insane… and with lightning speed would make me lose my mind. you’re captured inside of my Well, I think that time has come, palm, 5 The surging waters of our Poetry is the needle in a stack Shoo fly, shoo! symbolic seines’s of hay straw. I shall set you free. Overflow their domesticated Dreams become reality and Cause I know how it feels streams reality seems surreal. to be a fly in a cell Escaping, in an ecstatic rush, Don’t just say something – let and “time” will shoo fly me free. their embankments your heart spill. And, momentarily, flow free; And just the spelling of a word expresses how you feel. Lonely River Free from the prisons of the Death becomes alive and by Blair A. Blanchette past – broken hearts heal. Daring to - once more – froth Poetry is the colorful art of In my heart a river flows and foam blissfully expression. Whose waters have been The release of charity and poisoned In my heart there flows a river aggression.