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Photo by JR Korpa on Unsplash

How can I explain what I see?
Freedom lies a mere 30 feet away, yet it’s years from me.
Trapped in a world inside of a world. Separated from society,
meditating to keep a peace of mind and control my anxiety,
eager for the day I can leave this place.
Until then, my imagination and dreams are my only escape.
Books that are good for me you eliminate,
which makes it harder for me to self-educate.
One thing I’ve learned while doing my time,
is that I’m where you want me to be, but I am everywhere else in MY MIND …

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.

J.C. Raynard is a writer incarcerated in Michigan. He writes under a pseudonym.