Incarcerated Poem by Maya Reid

Cage.
The word stirs up visions of
Stone walls, iron bars,
Locks and chains
As if Oppression were tangible,
Re- and De- the same
Well tonight I sit before you,
Head hung and shoulders bowed
A hunchbacked Atlas
Crushed beneath the weight of my world
I sit here before you
To spread a Truth
A Truth that will rip the lies They fed you apart
Limb by limb:
It does not take a cell
To make a prison
Nor must a person scream
To be consumed by pain and rage
Wake up tomorrow morning
Brush the sleep out of my eyes
Then you’ll see
That life is the most lethal weapon
There could ever be.
Tension stacked across your body
So that you may not relax
Pressure from above
Forcing you to your knees
Coupled with pressure from below
Forcing you to stand
You compromise somewhere in the middle
Paralyzed
Your back against the wall
So that you may not move
A fist clenched around your neck
So that you may not breathe
A hand pressed in front of your mouth
So that you may not speak
Fear wreaking havoc on your very soul
So that you dare not dream
Your bear it and crawl away
And, after an eternity,
Sleep appears as your savior
Congratulations.
You’ve survived.
Prepare yourself for tomorrow’s round.
This battle will never cease.
A pen your weapon
Instead of a shank,
Your high not meth
But a moment’s escape,
As a wise man once said,
“Stone walls do not a prison make.”