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Poetry

Dear God, Thanks for Nothing
by Becky Brasfield

This letter to God reveals the frustrations, pain, and social stigma involved in not only being incarcerated when one’s civil rights are being violated, but also the struggle of living with the challenges of being a “convicted felon” in this society. In a format written directly to God “Himself,” the letter communicates the author’s conclusion that no human power can rectify the horrific racism and discrimination embedded in the incarceration system today.  

Consider this… Quit Yelling at Statues!
by Deborah Nicholls

Nicholls continues her poetry series, Consider this writing about the challenges of forgiving yourself. 

Excerpts from “Release: Women in prison write about self-harm and healing”
by Leah Thorn

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 chargeof your life.

Another Day Series
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers shares poetry to express how time feels in prison and her reactions.

I’M NOT CRAZY, I’M AMAZING!
by Wenona Thompson

October, 1993

Ready to Go
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers shares her pain in waiting to be released from prison.

Freedom
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers is getting closer to life on the outside of prison and she endures the anguishing wait.

Without Regret
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers lives her life without doubt and has hope for the future.

Dehumanization Resistance
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers stays true to who she is in prison.

World of The Forgotten
by Tammica L. Summers

Summers shares her reflection on life in prison.

If Only I Can Tell My Story!
by Wenona Thompson

A poem by the late, great Wenona Thompson.

Can’t I Have a Dream
by Sonya West

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.

Introduction to Poetry Book
by Sonya West

Introduction to a book of poetry about hope and faith. 

Not Knowing
by Shanna Lemieux-Taylor

This poem is about struggling in life and not knowing which way to go and if one day it will change.

Hell
by Sarah Libby

This is a poem Sarah Libby wrote while she was in jail.

Scrapes and Scars
by Dora Packard

This poem is about life's fight.

Day by Day
by Dora Packard

This is a poem about being locked up in jail.

Devils Curse
by Dolores H. Stanton

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.

Captured Voices Free Thoughts
by Stephen John Hartnett

Writings from The Poetry Workshop at the Colorado Women's Correctional Facility. Volume 8, Fall 2010.

Where I’m From
by Heidi Lee Emmerton-Leathers

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.

Why
by Chrissy DeStefano

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!

My Cell
by Melissa

I wrote this early in the morning sitting alone in my cell contemplating my sentence.

Pain
by Melissa

I wrote this on a Sunday evening when visitation was over and the husband who abandoned me had not come.

Untitled
by Chrissy DeStefano

This poem is about being incarcerated and how you feel being locked up!

Will She Ever Know My Name?
by Kebby Warner

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.

Life’s Many Journeys
by Tracy

In this poem, Tracy tells about her life journey

Another Day: A Series of Poems
by Tammica L. Summers

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.

Dehumanization Resistance
by Tammica L. Summers

I am not a victim of circumstance, I am a victor and this is my big chance, With fire I dance…But it’s an elegant waltz, Because I learned in advance, Not to dwell on my faults.

Being an Inmate
by Tammica L. Summers

Being an inmate takes everything you have! It’s like having an out of body experience in which “you’ must come out of yourself and use all manner of determination, self-preservation, sacrifice, compromise, strength, and extreme measure of self-discipline to will yourself to do what is required…to will yourself into being an inmate.

The World Within You
by Rebecca Seiber

I am held captive this moment in time but, one day, I’ll be free seeing to this rhyme.

Feeling the Inside
by Rebecca Seiber

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.

A Blessing of the Tongue
by Adalina Pineda

In this poem, Adalina gives her views of the death penalty.

Who Decides
by Mary Moran

In this poem, Mary asks the hard questions who decides your justice, who decides your fate?

Solitude
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

This poem has been an inspiration for Deanna Lynd, an aspiring writer/journalist and survivor of the prison industry.

My Son’s Birthday
by Deanna Lynd

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.

Confinement After Midnight
by Deanna Lynd

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.

IMPRISONED
by Denise Lopez

In this poem Denise talks about imprisonment and being free. Are we only imprisoned while incarcerated or is it in the mind.

My Sunrise
by Rhonda Leland

In this poem, Rhonda gives her dynamic view about prison life.

Untitled
by Heather Johnson

In this poem, Florida prisoner Heather Johnson reaches out to others, urging them to “break the silence” and speak out about their lives.

Harsh Reality
by Dawn Harding

This poem is about Dawn’s personal experience while being incarcerated.

Dear Liz
by Marilyn Buck

talk of death, makes people nervous
tongues stutter
we are all dying every day
you told me you wanted to scream