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Christian J. Weaver

My name is Christian J. Weaver and I am 34 years old. I am serving my eighth year of a life sentence for First Degree Murder.

I was an addict and a schizophrenic when I committed my crime, but while in jail I had a powerful conversion—a “Road to Damascus” experience—and my life ever since has been full of growth, healing, and perpetual creativity.

My completed work includes 2 short plays, one full length play, a large collection of poetry, and a book of essays and aphorisms. I have been published off and on in small magazines and periodicals, and my prison newspaper column, “The Pen and the Sword,” had a six-year run.

I won an Honorable Mention and a Second Place award for Poetry in 2010 (in their respective categories) for past submissions to the PEN Prison Writing Contest.

Articles by Christian J. Weaver

Prison and Justice Writing

Monday November 19

Tom & Gerry

TOM: (reminiscing) River Lethe, baby. The dreariest task was a silent epiphany. Slooow motion. Even something like laundry had a purpose and a passion—as part of the plan. It didn’t matter that my paycheck was gone and it was only Tuesday. It didn’t matter that my shoes were wearing thin and women looked through me like a fat, balding man.

Prison and Justice Writing

Wednesday June 6

Tom & Gerry

CAST OF CHARACTERS TOM: Drug addict and house painter who runs out of heroin and reluctantly commits his first burglary. He is handsome but grizzled, 27 years old. His hair is long, brown, thick, and tangled, and his eyes are moss green. They would be striking, but the whites are bloodshot and the pupils are tiny.

Prison and Justice Writing

Friday April 2

Rehabilitation

No sky. No grass. No trees, No travel. No children. No wife. No man’s best friend. No trust. No suffrage. No income. No autonomy. No power to do good.

Christian J. Weaver

Articles by Christian J. Weaver

Tom & Gerry

Tom & Gerry

Rehabilitation

More Articles by Christian J. Weaver

A Higher Morality