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A big storm wave hitting the lighthouse
Photo by Marcus Woodbridge on Unsplash

I was creating a new blueprint of an ark
Designed for prisoners and the oppressed
That glows in the dark

I heard the whisper of hurricanes
That will make you bow down to your knees
As I stare through my jail cell window
I see the wind knock down trees
I’m wondering if this prison wall will tumble down to help the oppressed be released

Maybe I’m a dreamer
I wonder which one was the worse
COVID-19 or Hurricane Katrina?

The phones turned off, the lights turned off
And five prisoners lay on the floor
Because they are stuck with a bad cough
The medical department must be lost

A tornado was coming and they left me in a cell
Locked inside chains
Now isn’t that insane?
I now seek refuge in a higher power
When it rains

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.