Prison Salvation

She grows accustomed to
cold chains upon her wrists,
echoed cries from cells down
the hall.

Finding solace within abandoned pages
of books read by felons before her,
feeling comfort in wearing orange jumpsuits
and paper shoes.

It's a far cry from the streets
as she fills her belly with food
instead of cocaine, crack and heroine;
knowing its acceptable to collect her Mother's voice.

Strip searches are nothing compared
to dancing naked upon a germ riddled pole
in front of predators of the body, mind and soul.

Sentenced to death from a warden called Cancer
has issued her a sentence of peace, midst fellow
felons and others who have fallen victim to the streets.

Slow drips of chemotherapy allow her to
speak a thousand words to the ones who love
her the most,
and all of those who tried to make her fall-

had no idea she would be born again
in a place called;

P
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