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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Love

broken bonds and unbreakable bondage

Existential Namesake

February 17, 2021

looking at you is akin to seeing the unseen I can only see your name…

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Unplanned Destiny

February 14, 2021

I wish they’d understand me I wish they’d understand it nothing goes as you planned…

More Unplanned Destiny

Dreamt

January 23, 2021

I dreamt, a deep and intimate dream I seldom speak of one of wholeness vulnerability…

More Dreamt

Evolving Dream

January 15, 2021

Give a Beat · "Evolving Dream" by Russell Wardlow A once hoped for, and seemingly…

More Evolving Dream

One last time

December 7, 2020

If I could just talk to herone last timeif I could just hear her voiceone…

More One last time

Projection Deflection

December 3, 2020

If a person stands in their truth, they are seeking attention. If self diagnosed, they…

More Projection Deflection

Riding the Emotional Hump

November 30, 2020

I’m inconsistent insufferable overbearing and insensitive at times I say I’m passionate but I may…

More Riding the Emotional Hump

Rapped Tight Prose Verse

November 29, 2020

I’m tired of living this life I’m tired of living this life I had to…

More Rapped Tight Prose Verse

Neurotic

November 28, 2020

I do NOT have it all together. I don’t know why nobody gets that. I’ve…

More Neurotic

Friendliest Foes

November 27, 2020

Agreement often times creates ignorance and blindness it’s in the face of opposition that we…

More Friendliest Foes

Belly of the Beast

November 26, 2020

Deception, the etymology of her dialect she sang like sirens luring me blissfully into my…

More Belly of the Beast

Avarice Society

November 21, 2020

Why is it so hard for us to create healthy changes to our perception, thinking…

More Avarice Society

Fighting Odds

November 18, 2020

If the faculties I possess, which help me to identify my emotions and react with…

More Fighting Odds

Peeping Through My Window Part 4

November 17, 2020

“Peeping through my Window pt 4” I’m a boy. From 2007, I left my group…

More Peeping Through My Window Part 4

Peeping Through My Window Part 3

November 16, 2020

“Peeping thru my Window pt 3” I’m a boy. Relationships, where do I even start…

More Peeping Through My Window Part 3

Peeping Through My Window Part 2

November 15, 2020

“Peeping through my Window pt 2” I’m a boy. We all gotta grow up sometime…

More Peeping Through My Window Part 2

Peeping Through My Window Part 1

November 14, 2020

“Peeping through my Window Pt 1” I’m a boy. We have this patriarchal society that…

More Peeping Through My Window Part 1

Pressure

November 13, 2020

Ran from too many lectures and pressures, back pressed to the fire exit doors Jump…

More Pressure

You Don’t Know How I Feel

November 11, 2020

You don’t know how I feeel …inside you don’t know how I feel …inside you…

More You Don’t Know How I Feel

E=MC^2

November 10, 2020

Life is your economy fueled by energy, empathy and economics on this journey the car…

More E=MC^2

Missed Fortune

November 9, 2020

When I was stuck, you was just a phase when I only saw myself, you…

More Missed Fortune

Made for two

November 9, 2020

I said I miss herI heard she missed me tooimpossible bullseye;feeling kiddishdays you missed being…

More Made for two

Attracted to you

November 9, 2020

Full and luscious lips-cherry black as her African rootsdefined necklinegraced from a symmetrical jawlineconnecting a…

More Attracted to you

Your Love

November 8, 2020

I feed your love cuz I need your love I breath your love I bleed…

More Your Love

Mind Your Heart

November 8, 2020

How much can the heart bear? you can’t answer that with mind’s logic only heart’s…

More Mind Your Heart

Better if I Say it

November 1, 2020

Gotta get used to talking about myself if I want the world to know me…

More Better if I Say it

No middle

November 1, 2020

I only feel when I’m threatened or stressed I have to go thru something to…

More No middle

Cultural Wardlow

November 1, 2020

I’m a cultural war I’m a culture at war I’m a casualty of war I’m…

More Cultural Wardlow

Grew up, I’m-prisoned

October 29, 2020

I grew up mother incarcerated father deceased I grew up as a foster child and…

More Grew up, I’m-prisoned

Space

October 28, 2020

This space is made for me made for you made for two I’m made for…

More Space

P.O.W.E.R.

October 27, 2020

When it comes to matters of power, the human in us is first reluctant- That’s…

More P.O.W.E.R.

White Knights

October 26, 2020

The effects of colonialism in this country have not dissipated. The crippling clutches of capitalism…

More White Knights

Plucked Flowers

October 24, 2020

We’re all plucked flowers paying attention to the surface while the reality beneath is of…

More Plucked Flowers

Amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex Wars

October 22, 2020

I’m overly stimulated yet numb if I get overstimulated, I’m numb prefer to be over…

More Amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex Wars

Errday my birthday

October 21, 2020

I die so much daily living to reflect on the happening the next day surprised…

More Errday my birthday

Entrapped

October 21, 2020

There’s never enough timewhen time is all you needthinking back,time and time againI’ve noticed,that time…

More Entrapped

Need you to need me

October 16, 2020

I just want to feel useful like I need it I have this bottomless desire…

More Need you to need me

I’m off

October 12, 2020

I don’t feel good or normal unless something is wrong “what’s wrong?” ME! “huh?” what…

More I’m off

Chance

October 10, 2020

There you are looking so much better up close- than I imagined from a distance,…

More Chance

Wonder-full

October 3, 2020

I’ve finally noticed sometimes it’s best to be really measured in your Who, What and…

More Wonder-full

Feel

September 23, 2020

The thing about feelings is if you turn off the noise in your head feelings…

More Feel

Cost to Change

August 31, 2020

Money!That is the barometer of changeThose who have it vs those whom don’tThose that have…

More Cost to Change

Paint Poems

August 28, 2020

I paint moments and put them in poetrycuz if I rapped it most would attack…

More Paint Poems

Pros’ Poems

August 13, 2020

Don’t walk away from medon’t build a fortressand forestour fortuneforcingour forfeitforgive me for myinformal forumsforages…

More Pros’ Poems

Real Paradise

August 6, 2020

Within our SPIRITS Flowing throughout our bodies Which we can express thru our hearts and…

More Real Paradise

Fight or Flight Fright Night

August 5, 2020

You fight or flight change I fight or flight for change Though my fright of…

More Fight or Flight Fright Night

Color’dBlind

August 4, 2020

Stop saying you don’t see my color You are NOT colorblind Nobody is Why would…

More Color’dBlind

Black Lives Matter?

August 3, 2020

It’s hard to remind black people That their lives matter So when it comes to…

More Black Lives Matter?

My Mom is Harriett Tubman

July 6, 2020

She created her own underground railroadalluding abusive persecutionsacrificing dark man for sonescaping the enslavement of…

More My Mom is Harriett Tubman

This isn’t Over

July 5, 2020

This is a callfor more to be invited This isn’t justa moment of excitement This…

More This isn’t Over

Crash Dummy Love

July 4, 2020

I’m your experimentingesting your placebosyour punching bagabsorbing ever blowyour pinatawaiting for you to break medon’t…

More Crash Dummy Love

Heads Up

July 3, 2020

If you love mejust knowthat I haven’t learned how to love myself yetbut I’m overly…

More Heads Up

What’s Enough

July 2, 2020

She looks at mehoping I’ll change my mindbut I’m imprisonedshe’s chasing timeI’ve stopped wasting timeHer…

More What’s Enough

Fell for What

July 1, 2020

Scream when you fallbut on the way downscream out why you fellwas it a free…

More Fell for What

Newfoundland

June 30, 2020

ashamedbecause I tried to be’white’at my best momentsthen by default’black’at my worstashamedbecause I aspiredto be…

More Newfoundland

less ain’t more

June 26, 2020

we need less white antics and more white allies less white advantage and more black…

More less ain’t more

glossed over

June 20, 2020

amongst your personal sacrificesI neglected to notice your gender and cultural crisesthe weight of being…

More glossed over

unfractured half

June 19, 2020

my fractured relationships with womenled me to an end I blend with new beginningsmy new…

More unfractured half

in awe

June 18, 2020

inspired most by that which makes me great’er’inspired most by that which compliments my naturenow…

More in awe

what if

June 16, 2020

what if we grew upthen grew apartbut never knewstill consumed by that old sparkburrowed inside…

More what if

i want and so what

June 13, 2020

Move is this great goal I want to achieve, but only to connect, I genuinely…

More i want and so what

who feels it worse

June 4, 2020

I wonderon whom is it harderwhen you watch people leavewhile you stay in prisonthen you…

More who feels it worse

reliving the worst

June 3, 2020

my friend’s mom recently was found unresponsiveshe had a heart attackhe voiced this to me…

More reliving the worst

fearful love

June 2, 2020

fear and lovethose two things can’t coexist together the way that we force them toolove…

More fearful love

Happy Birthday Josiah

May 12, 2020

Happy Birthday JosiahI remember your beautiful image vividly the day of your birthplace JosiahI don’t…

More Happy Birthday Josiah

Our Nature

April 18, 2020

I cared for the ground she walked onI cared for the water he drank fromI…

More Our Nature

“when life imprisons you… feel free”

April 5, 2020

I can never be a kid againif you keep being so serious-and we can never…

More “when life imprisons you… feel free”

How to change the world

March 21, 2020

Find your inner powerto empower-self, and alldirecting your thoughtsallowing them to guide youyour speech,beliefs,and actionsmanifesting…

More How to change the world

Grow like high hopes

March 20, 2020

You grow like high hopes fast and courageous innocent adventurous and youthful, like a blooming…

More Grow like high hopes

flames

March 19, 2020

I see your anger hurled at me like Molotov cocktails what a beautiful flame in…

More flames

it’s just different

March 17, 2020

I’ve heard it said before many times by many others compared to her- they felt…

More it’s just different

apology

March 16, 2020

Take my apology for what it is knowing it will never be enough it will…

More apology

turn your back

March 15, 2020

If you turn your back on me you may also put a knife in mine…

More turn your back

X2

March 14, 2020

I said this is hard time she said, she doing hard time too so it’s…

More X2

safe distance

March 12, 2020

I don’t feel you’ll know me, if I ever tell you I don’t believe I’ll…

More safe distance

You’ll need more

March 11, 2020

When you sleep I hope u sleeping with the memory of me if you peep…

More You’ll need more

chivalry died cuz

March 5, 2020

Chivalry is dead because men are too intimidated by a woman with a strong voice…

More chivalry died cuz

doomed before birth

March 1, 2020

I was doomed, to be traumatized in the womb, with my mama’s cries in the…

More doomed before birth

each other

February 29, 2020

Why fight each other, as others I fight for others, with others we are more…

More each other

charged to the game

February 27, 2020

He wanna change his life but he can’tcuz this just what it is he addicted…

More charged to the game

misogyny

February 20, 2020

Womanoh, womanwherefore art thouhow can your mystery be solved?why do I believe that you are…

More misogyny

Out the Blue, True Friend, True Sister, True Angel

February 19, 2020

I started believing in myself cuz u believed in meand if u believe in itthen…

More Out the Blue, True Friend, True Sister, True Angel

energy never dies

February 16, 2020

Opposites, no..compliments attractrepelling and compellinglife is solust is so solove is soooo compellingenergy attracts energyunited,…

More energy never dies

Valentine’s Day 2020

February 14, 2020

here we areon this one day of lovewhich I believe is ironybecause since knowing youevery…

More Valentine’s Day 2020

Self Love

February 10, 2020

Your past says not to trust him you’ve seen a halo under horns but u…

More Self Love

Your Way

February 10, 2020

You never know what ain’t enough, til it ain’t enough you never know that pain…

More Your Way

compromise

February 6, 2020

love, hatepush, pullfight, rungive, takehurt, healup, downsilence…scream!trying to find a balancebetween you and metrying to…

More compromise

Drowning

January 27, 2020

I can’t swim maybe you’ve mastered doggy paddling for a moment but with a speed-like…

More Drowning

My Two Sons

January 26, 2020

My two sons are so beautiful but my past is so ugly tho my future…

More My Two Sons

Suspense

January 26, 2020

For what she knew of me not lie, nor truth but wonder because I knew…

More Suspense

Loveland

January 26, 2020

As I promised escape she accepted my offer breaking her former chains she breathlessly ran…

More Loveland

Alien

January 25, 2020

You never knew me how could you? I didn’t.. I was never drawn to you…

More Alien

Wondered

January 24, 2020

Twinkle twinkle lonely star I wonder… if alone are you still hot enough to warm…

More Wondered

Lost Feels

January 22, 2020

Why does my hand go thru you every time I try to, touch why do…

More Lost Feels

Paralysis

January 21, 2020

Some days I think I fell and must’ve bust my head- I see stars never…

More Paralysis

Professing

January 20, 2020

I wish I could find the time, to tell u that I love u somehow…

More Professing

Love Challenge

January 20, 2020

Truth or Dare? Love somehow has always been hard to receive, and only selectively given…

More Love Challenge

Bruh, I Get It

January 20, 2020

True story I listened offering my heart translated through words presence and attentiveness watching as…

More Bruh, I Get It

Believe Me You

January 20, 2020

Believe Me You the surface is see thru some things you just need to see…

More Believe Me You

Dreams

January 20, 2020

I used to have dreams… I’m out of my mind now you call me crazy…

More Dreams

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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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  • Existential Namesake February 17, 2021
  • Unplanned Destiny February 14, 2021
  • Harambee February 6, 2021
  • Wiseman said, ‘Things’ February 6, 2021
  • Depth Perception February 5, 2021

Themes

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  • Inside
  • Love
  • Mercy
  • Spirit
  • Trauma

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