by Ghostwrite Mike, Valley State Prison How do the dangerous few, earn, the right of return?Turn the page—act our age—work, but not be slaves?Not be slaves…Forever purgatoried, tell yo story, text it through the ether—eitherWe record the history, or they deceive the reader.See, we are praxis, for those who wield powerFor the feel of it. Blessed, if you could deal with … [Read more...] about Poem: The Dangerous Few
Poetry
Poem: No Longer Oppressed
by Louis R. Baca, Valley State Prison Identify with my captors? NEVER. Stockholm syndrome ain't that clever. DNA strand, tougher than leather. Ancestral roots keeping me tethered. Mentally abused, tarred and feathered. Physically used, scarred and weathered. I rose above it, not completely severed. Elephant recall, that means forever. PTSD, so you know my … [Read more...] about Poem: No Longer Oppressed
It’s On Us
Robert "Fleetwood" Bowden Thangs sho change when they cooked dat Coke in the Glassand the way we killin each othertell me how we gon lastThis what the world madeThey want our babies state raisedUncle Sam don't give uh damn, he stay paidThe new Crack that's fentanyl bars and Xthey somewhere working on what's NextYou every really tripped on why they keep on fixing up the … [Read more...] about It’s On Us
Poem: All of Us 2
by Joel "Yoel" Davis, Director of Curriculum & Training at Illinois Alliance for Reentry and Justice (ILARJ) . Released from incarceration of February 1, 2024 after serving 34 years. Yoel read this original spoken word piece at AOUON's goodbye dinner on our last day of the convening. The heat is different in San Antonio.This city pulses like a lion's heart.Y'all got … [Read more...] about Poem: All of Us 2
We Know
by Mark G., AOUON Member The baby has stopped crying for milk We know this is not a good thing The baby does not cry for milk now We know this is not a good thing The baby has cried for milk for so long We know this is not a good thing The baby has cried for milk for so long Milk that is not there We know this is not a good thing The milk is … [Read more...] about We Know
