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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Bedrock

March 12, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

this damn bedrocks
and not like the cradle I never had
it shakes
squeaks
and creaks
with movement
an old rusted bunk, painted over
in need of oil, then replacement!
I move as subtly as I can
as to not rock my bottom bunky into a deeper sleep
or a sudden awakened state
it’s the 4th and last bay
no walls separate us
seems like a shelter or high end concentration camp
each bay consisting of two rows of 7 bunks
28 x 4 is the amount of souls that I accompany in sleep
28 x 4 different sleeping patterns, states, sounds, and smells
28 x 4 haunted souls that dream and are caught by nightmares that catch up and accumulate all at once
28 x 4 different men rocking twisting turning and shake their bunks
28 x 4 different reasons to feel paranoid and be as vulnerable as a human can ever be in life
all them minus one of course
because I’m awake
and as I climb down from the wretched platform that grants me sight of every bay
even sight of my own demise if I happen to fall during my sleep
I rise to my knees slowly, crawling towards the edge
trying to make as less noise as possible
while I am still berated by the mixture of snores and stirs
I straddle over the end rail
me and my short legs
then grip tightly for leverage
holding onto something I rather let go and be rid of
story of my life right
slow does it, cuz I have to be mindful of everyone’s slumber
especially my bunky
and as I near ground, each of the four bars descended at a time
I hear an outburst
someone having a full conversation in their sleep
another uproar of snoring
another toss and turn
another shake quake and rock
and then I touch the prison floor
safely reaching rock bottom

Filed Under: Inside

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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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