I Should’ve Taken a Right Turn at Albuquerque
I am haunted by the question of whether / I would want a pill to make me sleep or a chance / to break free. Every time I wish… More
This is Where
I’m from where silence is normal and / punitive. / Hugs are warm and forced Catholicism still / weighs heavy on my mother’s shoulders. / At 73—the burden has… More
Run Chile Run
I don't like this place / Locks on the cabinets / And cable cords strapped around da refrigerator's waist / She doesn't like my face / Even, when I’m... More
Glimpse: Year 26, 2016
There’s a lot of gray / in what’s left of my hair— / my George Jefferson tonsure / monks somewhere still wear / ... / Styling changes I spied… More
Spinning the Yard: Social Implications of Inmates in the Hamster’s Cage
Spinning the yard is walking around the yard either clockwise or counterclockwise. Most inmates spin the yard in order to find a sense of self and belonging. More
The Psychiatrist’s Visiting Interns
A mood disorder cannot hold blame, cannot be held responsible. The choices I made were the choices of the person I was in that time. More
Announcing the Winners of the 2015 Prison Writing Contest
Over 1,500 stories, memoirs, poems, and plays were submitted by men and women serving time from nearly every state in the country to PEN's 2015 Prison Writing Contest. More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?