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Lantern floating through the sky
Photo by Edward SV on Deposit Photos

Young, Black, and talented, like Hansberry
But I feel like I’m dying, drying up like
A raisin in the sun, hoping for salvation
Praying my freedom comes
It’ll be so sweet
My own private Juneteenth
No shackles on my ankles
No gates to stop my feet
O sweet relief!
Waiting to exhale
Not unlike Angela or Whitney
Get my groove back
No Stella
Walk out like Mandela
Head high
Dreams higher than the sky
Priorities in order
A lot of lessons learned
I can’t wait for the day
My dream is no longer deferred

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.

Davon Blackstone is a poet and writer incarcerated in California.