Death Row
#465871 Death Row
Dante knew nothing. Hell
is a cell six foot by nine, flicking
roaches off chow, family fading
to sepia brown, ghosts in the corner
of an eye.
It is execution day,
when the clang of each man
banging on his bars goes on and on
until six o’clock…
Every day was January. For twenty-two
years I ached and then some. Innocent, I yelled…
until their sentence slithered off the page
to dust. Dark was blown. I teetered
across their cardboard bridge, beached
but frozen – out on the other side.
Next day new dressed, no crisp white shirt,
those were for court days, fumbling
with the unfamiliar – belts, buckles, zips.
No longer shackled – shuffling penguin steps
– orange jumpsuit a second skin.
That evening I stalk stars, one after another
like they’re going out of fashion,
sleep pressed hard to the floor,
soft beds don’t mould my death row angles.
Now I’ve my own ‘New World Symphony.’
Shriek of steak knife on a china plate,
guggle of beer with half burst bubbles,
thunk of an apple tumbled from its tree.
I’ve hollered goodbye to the goddam stink
of piss and dribbles of stale semen.
By night I smuggle my nose into sweet jasmine.
By day I subpoena damask roses.
I suppose I’ll always be
half Joe/half #465871
chow: prison food
‘roaches: cockroaches
This is awesome! Really chilling and really makes you think!
There’s tons of more info on Open College of the Arts over at University Compare: http://universitycompare.com/universities/open-college-of-the-arts/
P.S. Catherine should consider publishing this!
Beautiful and insightful. Congratulations, Catherine on getting your degree. I’m a year behind you so hope to finish mine in 2017. I hope you continue to write and share with us.
Carlie
This is really powerful. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent, moving, incredibly emotive piece. Thanks for sharing and good luck with wherever your degree might now take you!
Congratulations, Catherine. I remember your work from earlier so good to know you have now got your degree. A great piece of writing using someone else’s voice with powerful detail and language. Well worth trying to get your pamphlet published.
Strong work; a great selection of introductory image to enhance it with too.