From the chapbook Burnt, written by Scott Madoulet. Mr. Madoulet resides in Washington. This collection cycles through anger, bitterness, and redemption. This is an excerpt of the opening poem.    Burnt (part 1) To change the way I felt, I burnt myself today. Fire cleanses, doesn’t it? Arson led me astray.   (I thought) I…

This is from the chapbook Do You Care, written by Marino Leyba. Mr. Leyba resides in Minnesota. This poem reminds me of the Bob Dylan quote: “If I can sing it, it’s a song. If I can’t sing it, it’s a poem.” At times I thought some of Mr. Leyba’s pieces could go either way.…

This is from the chapbook The Poetry and Prose of Prison, written by Frank Olms. This poem reminds me of Shel Silverstein or Ogden Nash, taking a light tone to a not so funny situation.   Is That a Bug in my Drink?   I went to the mess-hall and sat down to eat Grits…

More from the chapbook Using An Ink Pen To Escape My Cage, written by Jon Albert Kaspar. Mr. Kaspar resides in Virginia. This is a sophisticated collection. Mr. Kaspar played with form, including some sonnets and a ghazal. The imagery here is wonderful. From The Ballad of the Ambiguous Prisoner:   Over stuffed cages Filled…

This is from the chapbook Using An Ink Pen To Escape My Cage, written by Jon Albert Kaspar. Mr. Kaspar resides in Virginia. I loved this collection. A little bit Beat, a little bit Dylan, allusions flying out in all directions. This poem travels to the future, through history, and ends right in your lap.…

This is from the chapbook Mentally Confined, written by James Gondek. Mr. Gondek resides in Michigan. Many, many of these chapbooks touched on issues of mental illness and treatment. Read this for the insight, where the personal story turns into a universal truth.   Facing my Thoughts Every single night I drop these same tears…

This is excerpted from the chapbook Maybe, written by J. LeBlanc. Mr. LeBlanc resides in California. Mr. LeBlanc starts out with a bang: I was born in an 82 year old lady’s living room, a tongue-tied bastard and an underdog against life itself. Wow. When they say “you need a first line to grab the…

This is excerpted from Inspired, written by Derick LeCompte. Mr. LeCompte resides in at the South Woods State Prison in New Jersey. I like the shape and movement; it’s a very visceral moment. At A Time Moments flash by           grazing skin like the wind            …

Another poem from Secret Indictments, written by Robert Andrew Bartlett Sr. Mr. Bartlett resides in North Carolina. Rarely has so much been said in so few words. Even the blank lines on the page speak.   Pamela’s Query A woman screaming   “Why do you act like children?”   Three preschoolers cry.

The poem above, Dead End, is what we call a “place poem”. Places which were special in people’s lives serve as very evocative prompts. Note how we get so much of the poet’s story from the details described in the poem. These are the prompts which were provided in the assignment:   Chapbooks must have…