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Close up photo of a dark brown snake with a focus on its eye
Photo by Peter Paplanus on Flickr (CC BY 2.0 DEED)

When the venom of the viper
is more deadly than the bite of a lion

When the condition of the system
is equal to the dope in the needle

When love can be the reason you die slow
painful long-suffering due to friends turning foe

When the good die young for chances missed
and the wicked live, smiling, enjoying the risk

How do you decide the lesser of the two
when you’re born blind and leaders lack a clue

When murder is more common than conception
and curses are disguised as blessings

When desires are more like a bottomless pit
and torture more pleasant than relationships

How do you choose death from death
when presently you possess breath?

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.

Marcus Jackson is a poet incarcerated in Ohio.