This book was written for you. Of course, I don’t know who you are and the women who wrote the poems and life stories in this book don’t know you personally. But we decided it was important to share what some women have thought and felt about their lives and about self-harm, in the hope that their experiences will mean something to you. And whatever your relationship to self-harm might be, maybe these women’s words will encourage you to write your own story. Writing can be a good way to explore, and show, what’s going on inside of you. As Anne-Marie, one of the poets in this book, told me, ‘Writing helps me make sense of my emotions, helps me understand how I feel. It helps me communicate and offload’. And as Anne Frank* wrote in her diary, ‘Paper is more patient than people’. The piece of paper you write your thoughts on won’t tell you that you’re stupid, wrong, or ‘crazy’ and it won’t say, 'That didn’t happen' or 'You didn’t see that'.
With poetry, you can express your thoughts and release your feelings in a very few words. It can help you reach out and feel less alone. And because so many women have had the reality of their experiences denied or ignored, writing your life story can be a way of putting the record straight and taking charge of your life.
gender personal-narrative poetry prison-industrial-complex
Summers lives her life without doubt and has hope for the future. endures the anguishing wait.
personal-narrative prison-life reentry
In this poem Kebby tells a story of a mother losing her child through the system. A child she never got the chance to know.
motherhood poetry
I lost my son right out the hospital when he was born for being addicted to drugs. So because the father and I were addicted to drugs we started robbing people’s houses for money and etc. for the drugs. Now we lost both kids, one to the state and one to my parents, and we’re facing 3+ years in prison. There’s more to the story but this pretty much explains it. Thanks!
creative-writing family personal-narrative prison-life substance-abuse
In this poem, Mary asks the hard questions who decides your justice, who decides your fate?
abolition creative-writing poetry prison-life
My poem is about my life, how it started, how it was and how it is now. To show that no matter what you can come back from the past. This poem was modeled after the original “Where I’m From” poem by George Ella Lyon.
creative-writing personal-narrative poetry
In this poem, Florida prisoner Heather Johnson reaches out to others, urging them to “break the silence” and speak out about their lives.
poetry
I am held captive this moment in time but, one day, I’ll be free seeing to this rhyme.
creative-writing personal-narrative poetry
This poem has been an inspiration for Deanna Lynd, an aspiring writer/journalist and survivor of the prison industry.
creative-writing poetry
Summers shares her pain in waiting to be released from prison.
health personal-narrative prison-life reentry
I wrote this on a Sunday evening when visitation was over and the husband who abandoned me had not come.
family relationships
This poem is about struggling in life and not knowing which way to go and if one day it will change.
In this poem Deanna talks about her son whom she gave birth to while incarcerated. She speaks of the heartache and pain of being separated from your child at birth.
creative-writing poetry prison-life
I wrote this early in the morning sitting alone in my cell contemplating my sentence.
creative-writing personal-narrative prison-life
In this poem Denise talks about imprisonment and being free. Are we only imprisoned while incarcerated or is it in the mind.
creative-writing poetry prison-life
Summers is getting closer to life on the outside of prison and she endures the anguishing wait.
personal-narrative prison-life reentry
When it found truth was simply what was made of life. It doesn’t matter how it started or where it ends. It only matters that you refrain from disliking your won being and spirit. The command solution is to become materialistic, idolizing color, shape and size. Materialistic stamina becomes the utmost important factor of life when one cannot admire and respect their own being.
creative-writing personal-narrative poetry
When I’m sober, I’m caring, helpful, and nurturing; a genuinely good person I’m told. When I’m high, I become a creature, almost not human. I could care less about all the things that when sober I would never give up, lose or hurt. I constantly backpedal in life and it hurts badly. I believe anyone who has ever had an addiction understands what it’s like to do anything for their addiction. What I still struggle with is how my kids and family, that I will do anything for, aren’t enough to keep me sober? I will continue to dream and pray for a sober life. I will never give up trying, and hopefully breaking the “Devil’s curse” will be my happy ending.
talk of death, makes people nervous
tongues stutter
we are all dying every day
you told me you wanted to scream
poetry
In this poem Deanna talks about the confinements of prison life. She speaks on a personal level of doing her time. She is very creative in her description this is a very compelling poem.
creative-writing poetry prison-life
Writings from The Poetry Workshop at the Colorado Women's Correctional Facility. Volume 8, Fall 2010.
Everyone in this world has had some type of dream that they wished could come to reality. A dream that seems so real that you do everything in God's will to make it come true. Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream. Since he's had his, can I have mine.
In this series of poems, Summers describes everyday prison life from a personal point of view. Fifteen separate poems discuss different aspects of daily life inside the walls, covering a broad range of emotions.
mental-health personal-narrative poetry prison-life prison-industrial-complex
Nicholls continues her poetry series, Consider this writing about the challenges of forgiving yourself.
