A is for Anxiety, their daily bread
B is for Beatings, shades of the past
C is for Crimes they did not commit
D is for Depression, cruel sleight of hand
E is for Enemy, the Department’s device
F is for Freedom, the hope of persistence
G is for Gangs, and Guards, too often the same
H is for Human, what all men can be
I is for Isolation, the ruse of confinement
J is for Justice, yet to be realized
K is for Kill, ideology of suppression
L is for Love, what keeps them alive
M is for Mind, yearning to be free
N is for Nothing, which most inmates have
O is for Opportunity, growth always at hand
P is for Paranoia, part of the package
Q is for Questioning, not generally allowed
R is for Rules, too often ignored
S is for Solitary, also Suicide, too often the same
T is for Torture, humanity denied
U is for Unity, the backbone of brotherhood
V is for Visits, too often cut short
W is for Window, a portal to life
X is for Excessive, force gleefully employed
Y is for Yard, the miracle of camaraderie
Z is for Zebra, in memory of prison stripes
