Posted inPoetry

Snakes in the Grass

by Aaron London May 16, 2023May 11, 2023

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Snakes in the Grass

by Aaron London, Prison Journalism Project
May 16, 2023

<h1>Snakes in the Grass</h1>
<p class="byline">by Aaron London, Prison Journalism Project <br />May 16, 2023</p>
 
<p>I’ve heard there’s life after death and the end is where it begins<br />If it’s anything like this I don’t want to live again<br />It’s not hard to tell that I’ve been to hell and back<br />I can tell you how it feels I just can’t tell you where it’s at<br />Lying face up to keep the devil off my back<br />Fighting to stay woke for 27 hours flat<br />Scared to go to sleep afraid to fall in his trap<br />Never looking in mirrors cause I see him in the glass<br />Demons in the darkness I can see them when they pass<br />Moving silent as snakes that slither through the grass<br />Never seen them coming till they’re in the middle of your path<br />Face to face with no intent of giving you a pass<br />Thinking why me with every minute of the past<br />Wishing things were different it should have never been this bad<br />I’m alone my only friends are cellmates where I’m housed<br />Sick of hearing you’re almost there prepare and be patient<br />Dig deep take a deep breath there’s no air in the basement</p>


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I’ve heard there’s life after death and the end is where it begins
If it’s anything like this I don’t want to live again
It’s not hard to tell that I’ve been to hell and back
I can tell you how it feels I just can’t tell you where it’s at
Lying face up to keep the devil off my back
Fighting to stay woke for 27 hours flat
Scared to go to sleep afraid to fall in his trap
Never looking in mirrors cause I see him in the glass
Demons in the darkness I can see them when they pass
Moving silent as snakes that slither through the grass
Never seen them coming till they’re in the middle of your path
Face to face with no intent of giving you a pass
Thinking why me with every minute of the past
Wishing things were different it should have never been this bad
I’m alone my only friends are cellmates where I’m housed
Sick of hearing you’re almost there prepare and be patient
Dig deep take a deep breath there’s no air in the basement

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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.

Tagged: California, Life in Prison

Aaron London

Aaron London is a poet who was born into the system. He currently resides at North Kern State Prison in California, serving a sentence for second degree robbery.

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