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.
< Read our current Poetry Anthology
I promised to share some of the poems we received as part of the chapbook project. This is the opening poem from Take Pleasure from Pain, written by Andre D Underwood. Mr. Underwood resides at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Florida. He sent a very real, insightful collection starting with his first love. Kalifornia…
This edition of the Prisoner Express Poetry Anthology stands alone, as all of the entries were received during the pandemic. Those of us on the outside have a better understanding of the effects of isolation on our well-being. In prisons everything shut down and prisoners often watched the virus spread in their ranks. Many suffered,…
Last time I wrote about how I got involved in a chapbook project with Prisoner Express while hunkered down at home during the pandemic. But that’s not the only place my words traveled this year. I was selected to be part of a digital archive project that is literally out of this world: Writers On…
Like many people, I spent about 15 months at home during the pandemic. But my words have traveled widely. I learned about Prisoner Express from my Cornell junior. But I didn’t really think much about the program, since I was busy in my own lane. Two things changed that. One, the much loved founder of…
I am no longerthe woman I was back then.Wife. Daughter. Shadow. Elizabeth Wolf An exciting new program this cycle is a chapbook club made possible by author Elizabeth Wolf, who has donated 300 copies of her poetry chapbook Did You Know. A chapbook is a book of poems that relate to a central theme and…
Hundreds of prisoners send in thousands of poems to be considered in every Prisoner Express Poetry Anthology. Every participant who submits a poem is mailed a copy of the anthology. Seeing their work in print, even knowing someone is reading their words has a tremendous impact on inspiring incarcerated men and women to reflect and…
The two following poems are some of the first to be chosen for the Volume 23 of the Prisoner Express Poetry Anthology. Jointly they expose the painfully obvious and the obscured realities of what living life—for whatever amount of time—between the walls of a cell are like. Thank you to all who have contributed to…
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.
Please notify us if you would like assistance contacting any of the authors featured in the Prisoner Express Archive.