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Blurred silhouette of a man reflected on blue glass
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

A funny thing happened on the way to reality
I found myself in the midst of severe brutality
The sun was shining but life was lost
I reached for another sniff, puff, smoke or toke
Not weighing the cost
The words I dispensed flowed like honeysuckle wine
Poetry, even in this hell, became all mine
Thank you for the life of escape you’ve given me
As I write this life to victory
Together in time beyond the concept of possibility
We are bound to be free in poetic reality …

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.

Jeffery Shockley is a writer incarcerated in Pennsylvania.