From the very beginning of Prisoner Express, we have received poetry from prisoners. As we received more submissions we took the hint and began to feature prisoner poems in our newsletter. With the help of volunteers, we have staged a number of public readings of prisoner poems, as well as conducted poetry contests for prisoners who wish to participate. Poetry provides a means where the prisoners we work with can freely express themselves. We invite you to read their writings and step into their world.
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More from the chapbook Burnt, written by Scott Madoulet. Mr. Madoulet resides in Washington. This appears near the end of the book. It may have started as a list poem, or a dictionary poem. A dictionary poem traditionally goes beyond the conventional meaning of the word or brings in other associations. I found this thoughtful…
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…
Programs
Current & Past Poetry Anthologies from Prisoner Express
Here's some of the past anthologies we've printed and mailed to prisoners enrolled in our poetry programs. All of these anthologies are available for download and printing (see our copyright statement below) – simply click the PDF you'd like to download.
Terms of Use & Copyright:
All of the work collected and available in this archive is owned by, and all rights reserved, to the author. If you would like to use, distribute, or change any of the work presented in this archive you must have explicit permission from the author.
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