Jail Residents' Writing

 . . . from Hancock County, ME, Jail & Prison Residents
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              _         _           _
Victoria Trans Captivus

Insanity
like invasive roots wends
amongst the broken minds
of men
behind steel doors
like scared children are
these proud and bold
men from afar
stripped of choice
and love, and friends
the evil upon us
does descend
the worst of habits and thoughts
and ways
becomes the way
they pass their days
a poison mist
engulfs and blinds
there is only one light
that through it shines
some find their shields
of peace and calm
the love of Christ
a healing balm
and for the rest
we must pray and love
that they too will find
God's endless love

                -- pdm 2008


Lament for Belle

arms are wings
vision clear
sparkle of sun
off waves not near

soar and turn
upon winds are mine
horizon's all
there is endless time

lifting away
from pain bound soil
freedom at last
from earthly toil

someday I will join you
beloved one
and fly together
past the sun

               -- pdm 2008


My Nightmare

Columns huge and tall
reaching to the stars
and to the depths
heavy
their weight in the air
crushing all sound

Massive, dark
created not by man
as far as the eye can see
pathways suspended
in between

Like fleas among elephants
our size it seems
walking, searching endless
in this fever dream

              -- pdm 2008


Copyright 2001-2024 by the Authors and Volunteers for Hancock Jail Residents.
For permission to reproduce the writing, or to reach the writers, please contact VHJR.
The Game

There's a new game in town
Come on let's play
I'll strip you of everything if I may
Your job, your car, your house, they're mine
I'll take them all in the quickest amount of time
You won't miss these things very much
It's your friends and loved ones I must touch
This game will infect you to the bone
And I promise to never leave you alone
You'll lie, cheat, and steal to feel me in your vein
The guilt, sorry, and pain will nearly drive you insane
You'll beg and plead for the game to be over
And pray to God for the day when you were sober
This game, I promise, you will never win
Because it's fixed by your new best friend Heroin.

                                -- Kimberly
Blackened Heart

A blackened heart from years of abuse
Stomped on, thrown away, and used
No one knows what its felt 
Having to put up with what its dealt
People always take only what they want
And leave the rest behind to rot
What's a blackened heart supposed to do
When no one's there to love it too

                               -- Kimberly
Like a child clutching a broken toy
embraced by concrete and steel
the sounds of the world penetrate not
the anti-world
sucking back the life force
immersed in a viscous fluid
maintained, yet smothered source
a test of will, of strength
when it's over
what shell will be left
will it be weak, dragging, carrying
the last twinkle of life energy?
or will it be cast off
freeing a new, larger and stronger being?

                                 -- PM, 2008
Untitled

our only peace here
our only possession
sleep, sleep here in the warden's keep
our promise of freedom
like death's hand upon our shoulder
turning us away from the pain
leading us into the darkness
the unknown
the blessed unknown
sleep, sleep, our private embrace
our loving mother
protect us, hide our face
sleep, sleep, the promise of death
the deliverance forever
from this impossible place
sleep, sleep now my brothers
God's gift of sanity to us all
the promise, the promise
sleep, sleep, deliver us away, far away
our peace, our lover
own us all, don't forget us
sleep, sleep, beloved cherished sleep

-- Peter, 6-28-08

The Past

What a perfect view.
Nothing gets missed.
Free in a sense.
To explore every detail.
A whole new outlook.
An impossible situation.
Love enters with a crash.
Longing like a splinter.
Apathy like a pillow.
So easy to fall into.
So hard to get out.
Never comforting.
Constant questions.
Answers  not enough.
Everything just out of reach.
Hoping to learn.
Wanting to live.
Our biggest curse.
Your best asset.
Not to be forgotten.
Just forgiven.

Peace.

              -- T.B.

Yellowstone Sky

I sit here and wonder why
That I cannot touch the sky.

I served my county - I love so dear
With dedication, honor and no fear.

I was taken down by people with fear,
No loyalty, no honor, no courage,
Nobody they held dear.

I will have my dignity
This nobody can take.
I worked, I planned
For people's sake.
No money, no gifts do I take.

I have been judged by my pears,
I sit and wait,
That my judgement is not too severe.

My live will change,
This I know
Semper Fideus
Is all I know.

Time will come
And time will go.

Some day again
I will 
TOUCH THE SKY!

Written by
Ray Fogg Jr.
Hancock County Jail
July 30, 2008

Printed by C. G.

Then There Was You
If there was real happiness
then I never knew
Until I opened my eyes
and then there was you

My days were all filled
with confusion and dread
I fought and I struggled
with the demons in my head
I longed for a lover
to share in all that I do
One day I opened my eyes
and then there was you

I cried and I pleaded
with the sweet lord above
To bless me just once
and introduce me to love
I prayed for an angel
and for all my dreams to come true
I opened my eyes
and then there was you

I had waited and asked
for some loving arms
And someone to ease my pain
and help me feel calm
For these blessings I wondered
what I had to do
I just opened my eyes
and then there was you

I never believed
in fairytale things
Hearts and flowers
and Valentine cupid things
If there was romance
then I never knew
Until I opened my eyes
and then there was you.

Somehow my life changed
and it spun me around
I was given the chance
to enjoy the love I had found
I'm finally happy to have pure love
so sweet and so true
And all this is mine
cause now I have you

-- D.S. 2008


Cruel Reality

Here I sit in HCJ
Trying to get through yet another day
What will I do to pass the time
I think I'll sit and think about my crime.
If found guilty I'll be going for a ride.
But if not I'll be on the other side.
I've been stripped of my dignity, family 
and friends.
How can I look in the mirror again.
If the judge should have mercy on me
I swear to be the man I should be
So here I sit my future unknown
God will you please just let me go home.

              -- D.S. 

Mistakes

Here I sit broken hearted
Thinking of this life I have started
I'm doing my best and trying to change
For all of my problems I am to blame
I could try and pass the buck
Or blame it all on dumb luck
I have come to this
At the end of the day
Doing drugs I must refrain
For it was me who f----- up
Now I'm locked up in HCJ

-- D.S.
One Love

Staring out the window
of my six by nine cell
Feeling alone is my personal hell
My thoughts are so clear now
I now know what to do
For when they release me
I'll be running home to you
To raise my children
and continue my life
While hoping someday
to make you my wife

                                 -- D.S.

Me

My life is so sad
My heart is so mad
I just lost the best friend
I ever had
If you should see him
Please send him home
For my body is lonely
without its soul

              -- D.S. 
     I Love You Girl

You don't have to worry
You don't have to fret
I'm out of your life now
I assume I'll be easy to forget

Confused and dazed
My mind is full of craze
You're on my mind
And there you will forever stay

I'll never forget you
Not even for one day

Even after I'm gone
My spirits will always say
I love you forever Girl
On my mind you will forever stay

I love you Girl
More and more each and every day

                        -- David Hudson

Dedicated to Patrick Willigar


The Setting Sun

Every junkie's like a setting sun
beautiful and varied
yet each of them short lived.

Each band and puff of color
like multiple halos shining;
the desperate acts of the addict.

The earnest pleas for God's attention
so much more powerful
than the average prayer.

How I envy the mid-day afternoon sun,
with so many hours left to burn.
Why was I destined to fade so fast?

Could it be, the black sky so bleak,
for me nigh on its way;
twilight cuing my departure?

Or should I dare have hope against hope,
that I can transform
and rise anew on the 'morrow?

               -- Patrick

     Decisions

I really want to go and twist that throttle
But should I really, I just finished this bottle
I say f---  it
Cuz I feel like superman
Or at least I did until I hit that van
I lived through it
But the driver's son died
Now I feel so empty inside
For if I thought he would not be in the sky
Ane I would not be doing this time
I deserve all I should get
For I am just a pile of sh-it
I made a bad decision I can't take back
Now my life is on the wrong track
Because I drank that bottle and twisted
that throttle

                        -- DSP
Waiting

Here I am locked up again
Awaiting trial so my time can begin
What did I do to be here this time
I have been accused of a terrible crime
My wife and kids miss me so bad
So here I rot, here I sit
The system makes me just want to quit
But if I do they have won
And I lay down and wait a new day to come
So here I sit locked up again
Awaiting the Day for my new life to begin

               -- DSP