Akiva Israel, Prison Poet, is an artist whose voice was forged behind prison walls, where words became both shield and salvation. Akiva’s poetry, raw and unflinching, bears witness to the haunted inner landscapes of incarceration, where memory, loss, and longing echo through the confines of dream-stained walls. Through stark, lyrical imagery, Prison Poet’s work gives voice to the unseen and unheard—the ghosts of the past, the living who feel forgotten, and the persistent hope for meaning amid despair. A multiple nominee for the Pushcart Prize, Akiva’s work has been published in J Journal, Calyx: A Journal of Art and Literature, 3Elements Review, Marrow Magazine, PRISM, and various other venues. In 2025, Akiva completed The Caged Bird Dies Singing, as well as Killed by Light, and embarked upon a journey to secure their publication.