PRISON SENSES

I've heard it all,
I've heard phones ringed,
cell doors slammed,
I've heard wicked laughs,
good laughter;
I've heard angry pouts,
I've even heard lies, prayers, and compliments, buzzer blared,
and walls trembled.
I have heard, what I didn't expect to hear.
But I haven't heard my mother's voice
or the bells of freedom,
for thirteen years.

I've smelled it all!
I smelled "Peace", green grass, rain;
I smelled colognes and perfumes.
I smelled farts, urine, athlete feet.
I've even smell roses fromt he prison garden.
I've spelled bad breath, dirty clothes,
sweat on iron.
I've smelled what I did not want to smell.
But I have not smelled the Haitian grenadia juice that I love.

I fought it all.
I fought the "Good Fight"!
I fought rime, spirits, angels and demons.
I fought my mind, my heart.
I fought courts, lawyers, man in my dream.
I even fought God like "Israel"!
I fought like "Christ".
But I have never fought, a fight that I started.

I felt it all.
I felt happy, angry, depressed!
I felt my muscles grow.
I felt the shots for hepatitis.
I've felt pain, hated, mislead, hurt,
and disappointed.
Man, I even felt the harsh sentence
given to me!
I felt the sun, arctic wind, rain.
I've felt sick, headaches, stomach-aches.
But I have not felt the relief of freedom!
Not yet.

I've seen it all
I saw on walls, booger, dried spit,
blood splashed;
I've even seen Jesus' face, gang graffiti,
I saw the Cross.
I saw fist fights, feet fights, spit fights
I saw ants, flies, bugs, birds;
I saw rising sun, bright moon, the dawn in my cell.
I've seen things that suprised me.
But I haven't seen my daughter in 13 years.

I've tasted it all!
I've tasted "Chaos", blood, weat.
I've tasted hard water, well water;
I've even tasted a little freedom,
in medium security.
I've tasted generic coffee and tea.
I've tasted spoiled food; and microwaved food in medium.
But, I have not tasted the soft "Canne-
Annas" that I crave.

I've touched it all!
Believe me; I touched "Silence", rags, dirty rags, and washed clothes.
I've touched filth; filthy toilets, filthy keyboards; I've touched callused hands.
I've even touched a "stone cold" heart,
I;ve touched books, court transcripts,
briefs and toe-nail fungus, prison showers.
But, I have not touched a woman in 13 years.

Penned for PPW and Between the Bars
By Childeric Maxy,
Stanley WI
7/12/13