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A full moon and clouds hover over a nighttime city skyline.
Illustration by Anna Grayson

The moon is gorgeous tonight.
Half obscured by the charcoal sky.
The city lights beneath it,
Twinkle like flakes of gold in the distance.
The lights breathe and hum.
The city is alive.
It pulses with light in this dark night.
Just to think of the thousands of lives being lived.
And with each twinkle of gold
Representing a woman, a man, a family
It gives me hope,
Hope for the future,
Hope for the present.
For “The Becoming”
That humanity may yet survive.
And I am overwhelmed with tears of joy
And this thought,
That we all may be redeemed.
That humanity is worth fighting for.
Worth saving.
Worth living for.

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.

Daniel X. Cohen is a comedy and drama writer and is currently working on screenplays and short stories. He serves as a facilitator for self-help groups. He is currently incarcerated in California.