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Jail birds have wings
But refuse to fly beyond
Barbed wire fences

Dreams reside outside
But they can’t seem to see
Beyond their sentence

Inspiration seen
Yet unmaterialized
Being met by resistance

Limitless are the skies
If I can rise
From amongst the senseless

My kind is despised
Categorized as
A prison pigeon

My true nature is far greater
Than my living conditions

Jail bird

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.

Chauncy “Mashtro” James is a poet incarcerated in California.