Inside

prisons are the new school’s, new schools
not education like they intended of course
kind of reward by consequence
I am not an inmate
I am a student
with an I.D.
like most colleges
studying inequalities
and harshness of mankind
learning social dysfunctions and disenfranchisement
learning cause and effect
learning the law of attraction
learning thoughts and behavior
learning punishment and reward
learning civil savagery
learning no mercy nor grace
learning prejudice and stereotypes
learning segregation
learning concentrated violence
learning occupied freedoms
learning sensory deprivation
learning isolation and alienation
learning desensitization
learning coping abilities
learning worth
learning bottom lines
learning addiction
learning depravity
learning cognitive dissonance
learning herd mentality, group think, and mob behavior
learning labels and their affect
learning systemic racism
learning hopelessness
learning affectionate starvation
learning to see hidden truths
learning insincerity
learning the power of money and privilege
and through all that
learning that I am resilient
learning more than you hoped for or thought possible
because when I was sentenced,
I was taught the most important lesson
words don’t teach
words may have imposed my sanctions, defining my punishment
but it was experience that was going to be the teacher of me
experience is the only teacher
words only explain the lesson
studying makes you knowledgeable about what’s being taught
but only experience,
provides understanding and wisdom of what’s being taught
and in here, I’ve found my words to accurately depict my experience
which can only make you aware and connected to my truth-
describing what you may not know
and will never properly learn
until you live this
expertise means nothing outside of these walls
because prison taught me
its the ‘experts’ that still don’t understand
unless a more fatal truth is that they don’t care
and the public really doesn’t understand
the statistics only paint a picture lost in translation
and left up to perception
so really,
no matter what I just said
you that still haven’t learned a thing
and no matter what you say of me
it only further highlights the picture you paint of yourself

I walk into the cafeteria here
and although we’re all supposed to have our masks on
we have to take the off to eat
and the moment I here someone coughing choking and sneezing
my head instantly spins towards there direction
my hair raises
my face screws up
and I give a disgusted cautious look-
shielded behind a mask of course-
as I wait in line
but I wouldn’t care if they saw how I looked at them
I can only imagine what the nerves must be like out in public
how strange the times are
when farts may be more of a relief and socially acceptable
than a cough sneeze or sniff
now to me, that’s funny
the ol’ “oh god bless you, you’re human it’s ok” thought that goes off when you hear a fart
versus the swift condemnation of seasonal allergies
lol! hilarious!
people are so sincerely insincere and obnoxious that its morbidly funny