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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Trauma

promise me promises, promise me pain

Human Terrorists and Humanitarians

May 5, 2022

how we give much aid when those taxed for the aid need aid Ukraine is…

More Human Terrorists and Humanitarians

Heart-filled Reminders

May 5, 2022

made to remember my record yet I forget the records written upon my heart that…

More Heart-filled Reminders

Where am I?

May 3, 2022

today I looked from my top bunk and saw my position an overhead lay out…

More Where am I?

Stolen Identity

May 3, 2022

darkness is misunderstood it was the first light that which only knew unity. and the…

More Stolen Identity

A Bunch of Slaves

May 3, 2022

devil worship is only ego worship the mind mirror and manipulates so it can mirror…

More A Bunch of Slaves

Family Feuds

May 3, 2022

I’m only affected by you because I identify with you at someplace in my being…

More Family Feuds

Definition’ers

May 3, 2022

if we can build buildings and trade goods with clear codes and protocols yet can…

More Definition’ers

Dumb Foundation

May 3, 2022

talking about a problem is no solution it is an admission of a quagmire and…

More Dumb Foundation

Overflow-eth

May 3, 2022

the corrupt can always be corrupted even before the corruption the corruption is reaction of…

More Overflow-eth

Cut Outs

May 3, 2022

there are many pieces can you see the ones needing to be brought back together?

More Cut Outs

Self Absorbance

May 3, 2022

when you not around this is how I feel this is what it makes me…

More Self Absorbance

Go Figure

May 3, 2022

I’ve been ready ready to die ready to die all my life now that I’m…

More Go Figure

This is that Man’s Worlds

May 2, 2022

the world is more than black and white yet I lose not sight of arrangement…

More This is that Man’s Worlds

Poor Choice, Poor Condition

April 25, 2022

to all who have ears to listen and eyes to bear witness sometimes poor is…

More Poor Choice, Poor Condition

The Pain You Reap

April 13, 2022

to know life is to know peace to not understand life, is to know pain…

More The Pain You Reap

For Granted

April 12, 2022

you don’t hear me even though you push me to be heard turning up the…

More For Granted

The Devil Unknown

April 11, 2022

the longer one lives in their delusions truth takes the appearance of hate

More The Devil Unknown

The Noose of Knowing and Not

April 11, 2022

some are born knowing and others, born needing to be taught the problem is the…

More The Noose of Knowing and Not

Life Philosophy

April 11, 2022

life without a methodology is not life nor is any life philosophy which comes from…

More Life Philosophy

A Dad in ’09 and ’12, a Father in ’20, Still Becoming a Man

April 11, 2022

I was a dad before I was a man I’ve been a man for less…

More A Dad in ’09 and ’12, a Father in ’20, Still Becoming a Man

Prodigal Apology

April 11, 2022

Dear Father I’m sorry for you know my heart where the full extent of this…

More Prodigal Apology

Stumped into Submission

April 10, 2022

a world leader once said, and I’m paraphrasing- if you want to see the values…

More Stumped into Submission

If a Prisoner was a Politician

April 10, 2022

I recently heard a prisoner say, “we invest in weapons of mass destruction but not…

More If a Prisoner was a Politician

I know I am, but so are You

April 10, 2022

institutionalization is conformity systems indoctrinate institutions institutions administer people systems classify organizations and organisms people…

More I know I am, but so are You

Even in Prison there is a Circle of Life

April 5, 2022

I watch fat birds flying free in my misery getting full from food we refuse…

More Even in Prison there is a Circle of Life

What’s Being Learned From and Who is Considered the Learned?

April 5, 2022

I heard from a fellow convict: “history is about knowing and understanding what happened, why…

More What’s Being Learned From and Who is Considered the Learned?

Time Torturers

April 2, 2022

I’m seeing it break them all… as if the certainty of time personified bone-crushing fists…

More Time Torturers

Black Me, White Antagonism

March 29, 2022

why is black love synonymous with white hate why is black liberation synonymous with white…

More Black Me, White Antagonism

All Things Come to Crossroads

March 28, 2022

how long will I take this indignity… if the cost is too great than what…

More All Things Come to Crossroads

Lethal Projection

March 27, 2022

homicide is externalized suicide

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Reflective Rhyme Schemes

March 21, 2022

I used to see tragedies as God’s way of getting back at me maybe because…

More Reflective Rhyme Schemes

before there was Now

March 19, 2022

the snow came unexpectedly but we made do and we noticed for the first time…

More before there was Now

Erect Your Spine

March 18, 2022

the flood came last lo, foundation lost the backbone bent a temple’s collapsed pillars shocks…

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Measured Breaths

March 17, 2022

the toll of my very breath upon my heart pains me to death or at…

More Measured Breaths

Dark Energies and Dark Entities

March 15, 2022

when you become aware of them they too become aware of you you’ll know this…

More Dark Energies and Dark Entities

What is My Worst Fear?

March 14, 2022

success in your eyes and then, failing You. predictions expectations opinions statistics beliefs ideas hopes…

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A Mistaken Will

March 10, 2022

he that claims one’s imagination enslaves his emotion and subjugates his kingdom to the dominion…

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Figure of Speech (Free-verse)

March 3, 2022

I am the definition of an acrobatic radical versatile as my vertebrae vertical verses reverse…

More Figure of Speech (Free-verse)

The Angels and I We made Promise Rings out of Halos

February 23, 2022

I rose up. married to my destiny I counted the blessings of my success’ dreaded…

More The Angels and I We made Promise Rings out of Halos

Black History Free Writes: Black Skin, White Mask

February 15, 2022

Frantz Fanon posed the question am I all I say I am, am I all…

More Black History Free Writes: Black Skin, White Mask

Prison, is a Place for Ghosts?!

February 15, 2022

pt. 1 prison is a place I go to often in my mind jogged in…

More Prison, is a Place for Ghosts?!

My Country ‘Tis of Thee

February 2, 2022

I don’t know if this is just black history month cuz it also feels like…

More My Country ‘Tis of Thee

Audaciousness

January 29, 2022

tenacity voracity as opposed to veracity audacity! you can NOT, be timid you must be…

More Audaciousness

Mistaken Identity

January 17, 2022

I am depressed I have realized at heights and depths that I am not my…

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Entries of a Madman

January 17, 2022

there is a war going on you can’t see it though although it’s truth is…

More Entries of a Madman

A King, has Returned

January 9, 2022

do not the poles of the earth bring about the equator just as the poles…

More A King, has Returned

To Politics, or to Progress, is Two of the Same

November 27, 2021

what is politics but the antics of semantics sandwiched between vantage and ad-vantaged planning to…

More To Politics, or to Progress, is Two of the Same

Perspective of Pinnochio’s Parent

November 27, 2021

they wanna hear you rap bout how you kill yourselves “look at how they kill…

More Perspective of Pinnochio’s Parent

By Design

November 27, 2021

structural genocide social suicide systemical homicide a culture plagiarized institutional do, or die economical plan…

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Hyperbole

November 27, 2021

I’m a hostile hostage pay homage to the home of my homicide- a homogenous hostel…

More Hyperbole

I See People

November 27, 2021

I’ve seen people, come to prison with violent crimes and leave with addictions I’ve seen…

More I See People

Fought the Love I Fell

November 8, 2021

I’ve fought the love I fell and fell into the spell of fighting smoke screen-I’m…

More Fought the Love I Fell

Dreams that Kill

November 8, 2021

if I had dreams my dreams would kill my mind transformed into a gun my…

More Dreams that Kill

I Wish

November 8, 2021

I wish you would listen I wish you could listen I wish you would stop…

More I Wish

Tone Deaf AF

November 8, 2021

when you are White and you say, All Lives Matter just think how that sounds…

More Tone Deaf AF

Don’t Hold my Love Hostage

October 27, 2021

don’t hold my love, hostage I’m not one for, bondage what’s entitlement when accountability has…

More Don’t Hold my Love Hostage

Stop Asking Me to be Better than You

October 27, 2021

please, stop asking me to be better than you I hear it in your please…

More Stop Asking Me to be Better than You

Global Tel-Missing-Link

October 27, 2021

building connections on a payphone when the time is limited tentative and expensive pretending with…

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Confined Romantic

October 27, 2021

romantic fantasies help me sway and fade out it’d be a Cinderella story if I…

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Living With Myself

September 27, 2021

if you could imagine for a second what it’s like to be me, for one…

More Living With Myself

Dist-stance

September 27, 2021

time and time we create lines and lies circumscribed to describe our circumference size then…

More Dist-stance

I Dreamed Reflections

September 1, 2021

I dreamed I fell asleep in a sarcophagus… after swallowing intoxicating thoughts of martyrdom and…

More I Dreamed Reflections

Damnit

September 1, 2021

the man got me by the balls the devil got me by the ankles I…

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Maraudered

September 1, 2021

darkness escaped from blackness dreaded color consciousness humanity forgotten truth lost Pharaohs extinct to His-Story…

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Crying to my Spirit

September 1, 2021

waiting on nothing hoping for something somebody someone somehow feeling like no one with nobody…

More Crying to my Spirit

Fear Less

September 1, 2021

I won’t give another tear to another year living with another fear

More Fear Less

Inhuman Differences

September 1, 2021

allow us to be human not hued-man the mix messages which switch with colors are…

More Inhuman Differences

Care Package

September 1, 2021

I’m not careless I just care less of things and people I once cared for…

More Care Package

Freedomite

September 1, 2021

I didn’t get sentenced to give away all these years to give a damn about…

More Freedomite

Extradition of Conditions

September 1, 2021

unconditional… sounds more like a platitude unconditional love, acceptance if I tried it given my…

More Extradition of Conditions

Air Flow

September 1, 2021

just breathe mindfully too much wind will make a tornado of earth a hurricane of…

More Air Flow

In Between a Rock and a Safe Place

August 22, 2021

I have to be the rock the rock that doesn’t sink though I’m sinking… I…

More In Between a Rock and a Safe Place

And it Goes On

August 22, 2021

here we go again anger and fear the most potent concoction here it’s too common…

More And it Goes On

Good Damage

August 22, 2021

there’s value in brokenness you just have to want to see it in yourself then…

More Good Damage

Trapped

August 22, 2021

think they understand you not realizing your actions results from how they demand you stereotypes…

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Living Liars

July 22, 2021

there’s this lie one that you must know about me I wrestle with it more…

More Living Liars

Thing Chasing

July 21, 2021

lost myself losing things lost things lose people people lose things loss seems like self-lost…

More Thing Chasing

If I Must be Black, Let Me be Black in Peace

July 9, 2021

do you hear me? let me be black in peace! your way is not, interrupted…

More If I Must be Black, Let Me be Black in Peace

Nicked Names

July 8, 2021

couch philosopher serial pornographer self fondler emotion bottler trauma swaddle’r pot stirring potter’er fictitious biographer…

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The Case Against: Perpetuation and Prosecuting Plaintiffs

July 2, 2021

pain perpetrated by privilege promise extinguished by distinction persons distinguished til extinction purpose dissented by…

More The Case Against: Perpetuation and Prosecuting Plaintiffs

Byebye

July 1, 2021

shh if you let me I will disappear you may only feel me maybe even…

More Byebye

Melodic Verse: Incredulous

July 1, 2021

how can you want more for me than I want for myself? that doesn’t make…

More Melodic Verse: Incredulous

Mothman

July 1, 2021

tough guy I see your truth scared man child boy grow up I smell your…

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The Mind You Frame With

July 1, 2021

maybe you look at me different maybe you look at me? different. maybe you look…

More The Mind You Frame With

Animal Kingdom

July 1, 2021

meek as a lion in a pride full of victims with an eye full of…

More Animal Kingdom

Broken for the Broken

June 29, 2021

I don’t want to be healed they need to be felt I need someone to…

More Broken for the Broken

Knowing is the Start

June 28, 2021

I needed you to see me so I could see myself I believed your sight…

More Knowing is the Start

Shelled

June 19, 2021

I’m simply a mollusk too soft for this world so I’ve grown a hard shell…

More Shelled

Don’t Look Away

June 18, 2021

no more handicaps! take this damn bandaid off me! do not hide my process I…

More Don’t Look Away

Break Down

June 17, 2021

just give me a break! I’ll break a leg I’ve hit the brakes I broke…

More Break Down

Avoided Scars

June 16, 2021

I ask you can education be traumatizing? can the very act of learning, absorbing engulfing…

More Avoided Scars

Ran Them Off

June 15, 2021

I like meeting new people they don’t last though bless your hearts, it’s me pleased…

More Ran Them Off

Little Lies

June 12, 2021

I lied surprise, surprise but truth unveiled to the eyes would have been my demise…

More Little Lies

Expendable

June 9, 2021

is not life worth living for? then why hast thou punished my effort fore I…

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When is Enough, E..?

June 3, 2021

cops immune to presumed guilt criminals immune to presumed innocence justice goes to the cuff’er…

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Mental Warfare

June 3, 2021

I ran into a barrier of some sort falling down from the brunt impact surprise…

More Mental Warfare

A Country of Sharecroppers

June 2, 2021

who is the modern day slave? not just one sentenced to structured captivity because prison…

More A Country of Sharecroppers

Sometimes You Gotta Hurt Feelings, to Heal Hearts

June 1, 2021

even in relationships friendships sparked a connective camaraderie forged in the fire of external forces…

More Sometimes You Gotta Hurt Feelings, to Heal Hearts

What You See isn’t What I Got

May 29, 2021

I hate you America I hate you because you made me hate myself I hate…

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Just Waiting on You is All

May 25, 2021

a person died…inside of here he could’ve been saved but the responders…correctional officers were slow…

More Just Waiting on You is All

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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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  • Human Terrorists and Humanitarians May 5, 2022
  • Obtuse May 5, 2022
  • Lost Senseless, in this World May 5, 2022
  • Misguided Astronautical Musings May 5, 2022
  • Real Views May 5, 2022

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