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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Bodies aren’t Just Commodities

April 11, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

there have been 1532 souls executed in our country
for every 9 killed, there is 1 exonerated
people of African descent make up 13% of the U.S. population
people of African descent make up 42% of death row inmates

ehh mmm!

BODIES
ARE JUST COMMODITIES!

paying, to right a wrong
isn’t the only way, to right a wrong
yet money deciphers what’s right or wrong
and a check, is how you write, a wrong

because

bodies..
are just commodities!

justice imparting commissioned life and death decisions
where death becomes the sentence
resulting in various lives ended
and just a payout if the conviction gets upended

because

bodies..
are just commodities!

how can the death penalty become redemption
to a condemned soul’s prayers for repentance
a ‘life for a life’ being the only penance
for a civilized society’s view of justice to the families of victims

because

bodies..
are just commodities!

how can we behold the power of God to largely impoverished defendants
all of which grow up with no equal opportunities given
being stuck to the boot print of their country’s rhetoric and visions
as their flesh has been divvied up to two sides of political divisions

because

bodies..
are just commodities!

how can you deem me as a menace
yet plea bargain my finish
appearing to outlaw any outside lynchings
as if we’ve learned from our past, times supposedly being better and different

while it was clearly just a generational pivot
hearing the many argue that the definition of a ‘noose’ has shifted
and the way you quell the structured hate and racial tensions
is by bordering them within razor-wired fences

holding viewings of their hanging on the inside of a building
strapped to a chair or gurney, trembling
electrocuted or ironically, ‘drugged’ to death, resembling
a corrupted symbol of forgiveness

because

a chance has been taken, that was never given
clearly, they never had any chance from the beginning
and that, is Not ‘Just’, that Is Inequality

because

bodies!
aren’t!
‘Just’!
commodities!

Filed Under: Culture, 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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