Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

Photo by Rei Kim on Unsplash

During my visit to the park, I stood and stared at the waterfall
I didn’t hear the sirens call
I didn’t see the red and blue lights flashing
I was staring at the waterfall watching the duck feathers splash
I didn’t hear the policeman say freeze
I didn’t feel the policeman’s gun pointed at my temple
Or his baton crack my knees
I didn’t see the other officer roll up his sleeves
I didn’t hear him say I’ll make you beg please
I was just staring at the waterfall dreaming of better days
I didn’t feel that tension in my neck from behind tazed
I was staring at the waterfall stuck in a maze
I don’t even remember how I ended up inside a cage
with an orange jumper
It’s hot as hell
and I hope that I don’t have to stay for the whole summer
I hope that this waterfall can show the world how much I suffer….

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Hakim Trent is a writer incarcerated in Virginia.