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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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This Sys-tem

December 5, 2020 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

This sys-tem is like a cyst

this sys-tem is a stem of oppression and isms

this sys-tem enforces indifferences

this sys-tem endorses privileges

this sys-tem coerces supremacy

one over the other

and the o-ther as o-thers

my sis-tahs and bro-thas

60% of which living at or below the poverty line

melancholy monopolized

and monotony monetized

incarcerated fathers and single mothers

and fostered children traumatized

in this sys-tem-

opportunity and equality is a mockery

in this sys-tem-

rights and democracy is an oligarchy

in this sys-tem-

you are shunned to death

in this sys-tem-

structural oppression

social oppression

religious oppression

in this sys-tem-

voter suppression

thought suppression

expression suppression

in this sys-tem-

empathy repression

intimacy repression

healing repression

in this sys-tem

independence regression

interpersonal regression

educational regression

in this sys-tem-

economic depression

emotional depression

spiritual depression

in this sys-tem

equality-wrong impression

freedom-false impression

justice-false imprisonment

in this sys-tem-

recidivis-m

is just a pris-m

of

revisionis-m

this sys-tem-

is inanimate and materialistic

thoughtless yet thinks for you

soulless yet calcifies the soul

heartless yet decomposes the heart

this sys-tem-

is inhumane caging humans like animals

civilized savagery separating the have’s and have not’s

faithless yet propagandizing, commoditizing, and monetizing religion while discrediting spirit in it’s psychology

flawed yet given the free reign of a paragon beyond reproach reassessment and reform

this sys-tem-

is a boot that kicks you

steps on you

stands on you just to appear taller and more imposing

while yelling at you to stay down or they’ll shoot!

this sys-tem-

gives the illusion

of assis-tance

and insists

its

sense of cents

over sentiment

is civ-ic

this sys-tem-

gives the illusion

of assis-tance

and insists

it’s

dominant and pure capitalistic structuralis-m

of

currency creed constitution consciousness color culture crime and classis-m

is to your benefit

this sys-tem-

conditions

its symp-toms

this sys-tem-

is chaos

appearing calm

creating chaos

in opposition

to social revolutions

this sys-tem-

is status quo

in opposition

to social evolution

this sys-tem-

is indoctrination

in opposition

to cultural historical social spiritual and conscientious education

this sys-tem

this sys-tem

this system!

is madness

maddening

its too much!

but all I want…

all we want…

is a fair chance

but that’s only propagandized

to bolster and sell us all on this system

with the illusion of comfort

so we can all feel safe

against those that would oppose

this system

but when has this sys-tem

been great for them-

the leftovers and left behind

when has this sys-tem

been more than

“just be grateful”

rising to the promise of being great for all

Filed Under: Culture, Inside, Trauma

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Prose of a Con

Prose of a Con is a collection of Russell Wardlow’s prose and poetry written entirely behind bars. Through writings on family, spirituality, freedom, love, justice, redemption, and vulnerability, Russell seeks to show the humanity and hope of individuals like himself who are incarcerated.

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