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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Spirit

Untitled

February 2, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

painted poetry,
and poetic paintings
art plus art
is, two in one, Heart
and,
two plus one, is three-
her, and I, divided in parts
plus one, being the light of our being
4 chambers of heart

Filed Under: Love, Spirit

Mindstate

February 1, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

when confined
hard to keep the mind-
straight,
down near a decade,
finally able to look out the window
to align the blinds-
straight,
reversed blind-
fate
when each day starts out as,
a blind-
date
but this new light of mine,
now boosts my mind-
state,
my new state of mind,
is a change of mind
that may change some minds
and might change the crime-
rate
at the same time,
these thoughts of mine,
unwinds my binds
and this spirit of mine-
vibrates
my eyes dilate-
cries subside, dilute, and dehydrate
eyelids vie loose and tirade
because seeing all the sides and signs
can drive the mind-
irate
’til the very moment that I-
shake
or
cross the lines
to untie its ties
as a creator-
creating the type of vines to light
that Christ-
makes,
but this is all for my mind’s-
sake,
because you can only repeat-
your mind,
and this is the new me re-
defined,
in my trials to reach beneath-
the skies,
so we can all see what all we seek
which may increase
or the deplete-
the mind,
therefore I dream and speak-
my mind,
so I’m keen to no longer defeat-
my mind,
and take heed
to whatever keeps and peaks-
my mind,
because that is what frees
or screens-
my eyes,
and makes me dream
or scream-
inside,
until parallel or perpendicular themes-
collide,
but everything
is beyond what it seems-
in life,
so despite my seeming strife
I steam inside,
and glean a better me-
in stride,
even while I seem-
confined
I lead and strive
throughout all the pain that was the-
bleeding type
but I’m more than the mean
and I mean to FLY
therefore,
my minds’ great
so my state of mind-
for your mind’s sake,
is why I’m-
Great!

Filed Under: Inside, Spirit

OMINOUS

January 29, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

I AM a SPIRIT
I AM CARNATED in this FLESH
My TEMPLE
but I was born, IN and OF,
GOD
therefore, I AM also,
a god
CREATED for GOD’S PURPOSE
and that PURPOSE,
is LOVE
so the DIVINITY within me,
is NOT FORGOTTEN
its been my ONLY PROMISE
and NOW,
the ONLY thing there is left to do…
is LIVE!
will YOU?

Filed Under: Spirit

Dreamt

January 23, 2021 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

I dreamt,
a deep and intimate dream I seldom speak of
one of wholeness
vulnerability
and oneness,
complimentary-
at its rudimentary parts-
as opposed to its contrary perspective
the perspective which deems ‘opposites’ as a counter
or antagonist
creating unequal and domineering components of interaction and relationship
I dream of, and for, a siren of light
as direct and strong in her teaching of intimacy and companionship
as she is an evangelist of equality
a light bearer of wisdom and intuition
an advocate of humanity
an activist against oppression
a proprietor of hope peace love self determination and spirit
a liberator of consciousness
a dreamer
indeed,
both a woman and warrior of love life and light
a woman with a voice as strong to my ear as her heart
a woman in harmony with both her temple and spirit
not defined by, what she adds on
but defining, what she adds on,
with her how’s and why’s
a woman free and confident in choice
her choice
empowered further forward by what she sees in her compliment
her partner
a woman who vibrates with an energy of truth over tradition
basking in the animate treasures of permanence
illuminating truth within impermanence
and embracing her humanness
knowing gifts come in all things
I desire a woman who sees
as well as leads when she needs
not solely by what she needs
with a deeper knowing of ‘needs’
a woman insightful, intuitive, intentional, and introspective
she is a goddess like all others
but she knows it
and I compliment her,
as a god, like all others
but I know it
we compliment each other as teachers of love and light
enduring entropy as one
absolutely balancing relativity
what sleeps,
must awaken
so dreams may manifest
I knew you before time
now time is ours

Filed Under: Love, Spirit

I Am U

December 8, 2020 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

I am black, I am white, I am brown, I am yellow, I am mixed, I am him, I am her, I am you
I am indigenous, I am Christian, I am Rasta, I am Muslim, I am Catholic, I am Buddhist, I am Moor, I am Masonic-Jew
I am cross, I am flag, I am cult, I am clique, I am Klan, I am gang, I am group
I am red, I am blue, I am hue
I am sinner, I am imperfect, I am convict, I am mistake, I am hurt, I am accused
I am lost, I am alone, I am shallow, I am ruse
I am bat, I am knife, I am sword, I am bullet, I am gun, I am whip, I am noose
I am hat, I am clothes, I am cloth, I am fashion, I am trend, I am style, I am old, I am new
I am pledge, I am promise, I am war, I am peace, I am words, I am truce
I am brand, I am logo, I am design, I am art, I am tattoo
I am scratch, I am scrape, I am scar, I am wound, I am bruise
I am tree, I am flower, I am vines, I am soil, I am deep, I am root
I am clouds, I am stars, I am sky, I am light, I am air, I am chandelier, I am roof
I am lies, I am questions, I am answer, I am wonder, I am mystery, I am legend, I am taboo,

I am opinion, I am fact, I am news, I am truth
I am apart of everything just like you
I am a person-just with an inmate number khakis and prison boots!

Filed Under: Culture, Inside, Spirit

Belly of the Beast

November 26, 2020 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

Deception, the etymology of her dialect

she sang like sirens

luring me blissfully into my demise

fatefully alerted to the fangs of her promises

my surrender was savored

eyeing the glistening venom oozing from her salivation

serenaded to a triumphant laughter

lifelessly frozen in her deadly clutches

victory and animas adorning her gaze

then her jaws widened grotesquely

consuming all of my sight

blocking even the expansive rays of the sun

turning the day to night almost instantaneously

as I stood, aligned with her tonsils

eerily similar to the shadow of mine

or the shadow I was foreshadowed to become

and with a swooshing sound

accompanied by a vacuuming vortex

her jaws snapped

and fangs jarred, barring down

with my being fatally siphoned from what was once life

once land

once liberation

now lossed, swallowed whole into her belly

where I remained idle

not dead

nor alive by any means

just wasting, while torturously preserved

to relive this consumption in the belly of my beast every day

her thirst rarely quenched

her hunger never satisfied

and heroes are just a fable

because no one can slay this dragon

they only feed her bottomless appetite

hoping she’s appeased

as to not get caught in her caging gaze

bringing down her imprisoning jaws

fearing being enveloped whole

so few rarely dare visit

too scared to risk their lives,

trying to save their lossed loved ones

while distantly crying out that,

“she must be too full by now, let some out!”

but they’ve seen love swallowed whole,

without regard, time and time again

and all that lies left

is a thick dreary fog of,

fear, contempt and hopelessness

the dragon has even been known to consume those as well

there’s truly no escape, inside or out

you either feed her

or get fed to her

and just like her servers,

her hunger knows no bounds

so life remains bleak and dark for most

because there’s no light inside the belly of the beast

Filed Under: Love, Mercy, Spirit

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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.

Read More

  • Whose Mind is it Anyway June 30, 2022
  • Objects June 30, 2022
  • Same Thang, Different Name June 30, 2022
  • Optical Ill-lusions June 30, 2022
  • Hollow Symbols June 30, 2022

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