Mail Lust
By Keith Munden


Darkness and loneliness fill my cell

With pain and fear to great to yell.



I wait for the mailman to deliver to me,

As I wipe away tears that no one will see.



I pray so sincere, with my head held high

“Please God!  Send a letter from someone outside!”



I love to gaze on pages so dear

With riches to bring my loved ones near



Words are diamonds on pages of gold

Like a message from heaven as the story is told.



“I love You, I miss you, pray you’ll be free!”

A treasure filled envelop just for me.



Please bring memories of joy I once knew

Of you, of us, and the things we would do.



The darkness and pain of my cell will prevail

As again my name was not called for mail.




 




 









 

My Battered Angel
by Inmate at IWP who wishes to be Anonymous



While sleeping one night, I had a dream.  I have a tale to tell.

I saw an angel standing there and she wasn't looking well.

Her body was bruised and battered.  Her wings were ripped and torn.

I saw that she could barely walk, she appeared so tired and worn.

I walked over to her and had to ask, "Angel, how can this be?

As she looked my way, trying to smile, she said these words to me:

 
"I'm your guardian angel; quite a job as you can see.

You've lived a very hard life.  With this you must agree.

You've broken laws and broken hearts.  What you see, you've done to me.

These bruises are from shielding you.  Each day I do my best.

Still the drugs you've used so recklessly, have made it quite a test.

My wings, you see, are ripped and torn, I've often paid the cost.

So many times they've shielded you, when you were all but lost.

Yes, every mark is a story of pain and danger I've destroyed.

You've made me wish more than once, that I was unemployed

So if you would only embrace life, and choose to do good on your own,

it would end the pain and suffering that goes with being your chaperone.

I will always be there to watch over you until my strength may fail.

As for when that will be, all I can say, is I'm getting old and frail"

 
Then I woke, and remembering my dream, how much she seemed to care

I looked around my prison cell and my heart sank with despair.

As I sat there, I thought and wondered, "Why should I even try?"

Then the air rushed around me as beating wings...And I heard my angel cry.