Prisoner Express x Freedom Discovery Project Event

We invite you to our collaborative event with the Freedom Discovery Project. Come hear the first-hand experience of someone who served a life sentence and write letters to people who are in prison. Event Details When? Thursday, February 9th, 2023 from 6:30 pm – 8 pm Where? Durland Alternatives Library, Room 127, Annabel Taylor Hall,…

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“Behind the Wall” Art Exhibition

“Behind the Wall” Provides a Peek into the Lives and Hearts of People in Prison   The artists and writers of Prisoner Express are on display at the Tompkins County Public Library throughout February. Come explore the creativity and humanity of incarcerated men and women participating in the PE program. Stop by on Friday, Feb…

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Spring ’22 PE Programs Available Online

We are happy to announce that Prisoner Express’ latest courses and programs have officially been mailed to members and are now available to read online as well. In addition to our newsletter that is mailed every 6 months, we also offer incarcerated individuals educational packets on a variety of subjects. In this cycle, we included…

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Story House – Prisoner Express Event

Curious about Prisoner Express and how it all started? Come to the Durland Alternatives Library in beautiful Anabel Taylor Hall to learn about Prisoner Express, a program founded by Gary Fine more than 20 years ago to help break the isolation and despair of incarcerated people through writing, reading, and art. Through newsletters, book exchanges,…

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“Opening Windows into Other Worlds,” an article about Volunteering at Prisoner Express

Interested in volunteering at Prisoner Express, but not sure yet? Wondering how community engagement can impact your life? Learn more about how volunteers at PE found personal growth and transformation through their experiences in “Opening Windows into Other Worlds,” an article written by the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement at Cornell. Opening windows into other…

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Poetry Anthology 25: Melancholy, Love, and Lessons by Kimberly V

Do you ever wonder what incarcerated individuals think about? Those mysterious thoughts are what I’ve been able to observe while constructing the 25th Poetry Anthology for Prisoner Express. When your day-to-day life is so controlled and mostly void of freedom and autonomy, you would expect it to be quite difficult to come up with creative…

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Poetry Spotlight: Rolf Rathmann

Lately, working through prisoners’ poetry submissions for the 2021 Poetry Anthology, I’ve found that some are particularly profound and well written. I recently read a poem that I wanted to share for its sheer quality, and the feeling I was left with after reading it. I hope you all find it as enjoyable and moving…

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Chapbook Update 22: Elizabeth S. Wolf

Gary Farlow sent in a collection of love poems from North Carolina. Mr. Farlow is a classically trained poet, with an impressive acknowledgements page of prior publications. My comment on this page is: “I have taken workshops which didn’t use repetition this effectively.” Wild Horses A team of wild horses          …

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Chapbook Update 21: Elizabeth S. Wolf

Another triolet from Take Pleasure from Pain, written by Andre D Underwood. Mr. Underwood resides in Florida. I might suggest he play up the hyphens; there’s a bit of an Emily Dickinson feel here, which is interesting. My comment on the page is: “Well done. This form works for you.” Lust and Love As we…

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Chapbook Update 20: Elizabeth S. Wolf

I can tell you about a triolet using a triolet by Zebulon Huset, published in the 3rd Wednesday journal. This was included in the educational packet accompanying my chapbook. How to Triolet Line one comes back seventh and fourth, line two is how the poem will end. Line three’s free but rhymes with one: north.…

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