The Legend of John Crow
Matthew Mendoza was awarded First Place in Drama in the 2015 Prison Writing Contest. More
Dear Voyage
Brian Batchelor was awarded First Place in Poetry in the 2015 Prison Writing Contest. More
The Centaur’s Son
As I lay in my crib, sleeping only three crow miles away in another small sandstone farmhouse was a 15-year-old boy who was dreaming of graduating from high school… More
Consensus of Death
“Hey, Captain Dixon, can you get me a television?” It sounded like Tony. “Sure,” he said, “they’re installing televisions for all of you.” “Really?” John asked. “Fuck no!” he answered. More
Dark Corners
As I sat alone at a picnic table eating lunch prepared by a woman in the congregation—chips, BBQ, chicken, corn on the cob, spaghetti, and cake—I was visited by… More
Prison Perspectives on Schopenhauer
Should I look for another philosopher who doesn’t threaten my peace of mind or parole prospects? More
Tears of Blood
Tiffanee likes when I tell her stories; she says it allows her mind to escape the prison of poverty, letting her thoughts run free from this five-by-five-foot tunnel. Far… More
Prison Writing Award Winners: 2014–2015
Announcing the winners of PEN’s annual Prison Writing Contest, one of the few outlets of free expression for the country’s incarcerated population. More
Symmetry Gates
Under the very best of circumstances, it’s hard to get a solid night’s sleep in prison. For one thing, your mattress is only half an inch thick. Then there’s… More
The Summer I Lost My Innocence
She was alive. I could see the covers move over her shoulder just a little bit. The morning light creeping through the sheer curtains at an odd angle across… More
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