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Photo by Larry Farr on Unsplash

Stepping off the porch
into a misconception of manhood.
Thugs, players, and pimps
teaching what they could.
Toxic mentalities
are common in the concrete jungle.
How fragile is one’s life
that it is so easy to fumble?
Swallowing up the innocent
turning them into villains.
Armed with glass and revolvers,
so much senseless killing.
Leaders and role models
are rare in these communities.
Ignorance keeps us crippled
like chains on our hands and feet.
Blind to what the future holds
living only for the moment.
Seeking money, power and fame
but suffering is our ultimate payment.
Who can survive in the darkness,
where evil seems to always be?
Constantly being chased by fear
running,
with no time to sleep.
In this concrete jungle,
who
can set us free?

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.

Jamsson Telisma is a writer incarcerated in Florida. He has published a book called “The Book of Spade,” with three more books of poems and a children’s book awaiting final editing.