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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Vicissitudes and What-You-Call-Its

April 22, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

first I was,
unknown
but I was,
open arms
then I became,
bamboozled
and thereafter,
barbarized
pillaged
raped
conquered
destroyed,
colonized
and so I became,
tyrannized
oppressed
subjugated
property
enslaved
then I became titled,
subhuman
savage
pagan

then my identity macerated

my name enduring a constant state of flux

no longer African

and once a brilliant array of pliable colors
now abraded with immutable disenfranchisement

a physiognomy acculturated to demonization

adjectives metamorphosed to superfluous nouns

nouns that narrated ominous trepidation
from once fervent and effervescent beings

I became,
nigger

then,
colored

then,
negro

then,
black

then,
Afro American

and now,
African American

what next?

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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