Prison Poetry

11.12.24

Arguments in ardor 

Feverishly, the last stand 

Serpent’s tongue… 

You need a clear definition 

CLEAR LAWS

You’re flawed

It’s okay if you get a B.

You need butter and sugar

But madame, I’m starving… 

SHHHHHHHH!

I can’t leave my house

What will you do? When I send my resignation?

I’ll send the Zapatistas (now you’re scared)

Gain my trust?

Ohhh honey… 

You’re flawed.

11.18.24

Your every answer is libertarian 

You think you’re a contrarian 

But, at dusk, we’re getting egalitarian

Let’s talk about universal healthcare. 

What’s this chart? It’s looking upside down 

It’s disrespecting the crown. 

I don’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t make it.

Who did? 

I don’t know. 

Where is it from? 

I don’t know.

What is it? 

I don’t know. 

This is why you’re all socialists.

Okay. I think we can move on. 

Wait—

What is Exhibit ES-1?

Yeah, what is it?

What does that mean?

Did you name it?

It’s just the research title. 

What research? 

I don’t know. 

What? 

Wait—

It’s an exhibit. 

You’re on exhibit. 

One of us is exhibiting

Libertarianism. 

12.8.24

Dear, 

What if I told you, dear, 

I drove a mean tractor, dear.  

There’s always been agrarian reform

Each time a farmer can’t sell corn

At the perfect competition price

Dear, I live and die by Article 27.

NAFTA can burn in H, E, double hockey sticks 

Import substitution industrialization is my destination 

I’m done with your price discrimination 

This is the part where the Zapatistas are finally sent to the North

Oooh, dear, now I’m scared. 

1.10.25

Your problem is that you think tangentially 

What you’re saying comes out inconsequentially

Try passing the clock drawing test at this hour

The sun is setting, spilling butter, sugar, and flour. 

Your sky is a cupcake, focus on the recent economy. 

We couldn’t care less about austerity measures

I fast to reach enlightenment, I take money from children and old women

While you feast on the flesh of my punishment 

No! Give us all the sweets, the sweets reminiscent of flags

We turn St. Patrick into Nigeria to lessen the blow, to tame the throw

But still… broadly speaking…. 

You think tangentially

That is your problem. And 

You are about to be converted to broad 

Or broad will convert you.

1.17.25

Ohh my god… you are going to have a test! 

Is this a test right now? 

Every day is a test when you’re a quaker

We are quakers.

2.24.25

Women, life, and freedom! 

Crimson, strife, and heathens!

Do you have a painting of the Shah hanging in your house? 

That’s right. I didn’t think so. 

Let me talk at you for an hour, and even more 

What about the women? 

They forgot me…nooo… (she cries)

They don’t take me seriously (she weeps) 

Where is life? Where is freedom? 

Here there is life, here there is freedom 

Here there are at least four women. 

We never watched the Shah, we didn’t start the fire

But we sure watched it burn. This is freedom.

3.7.25

CompSAG

Comparative States of America if there was no federation

It is not its territory, it is part of its territory… and/or… 

Maybe. Think tangentially. Drink tea. Have a cookie. 

Find an antonym for the Majles (hint: it’s not Basij)

And you can draw bureaucracy and go home

But first let’s see who got what wrong

Who’s a failure and where. 

And we all cackle together. A family. 

We’re going to talk in a room

And learn to be better people, to love each other again.

Wait. You don’t know the threshold for the Russian presidency? 

What the hell is wrong with you? 

It’s like you don’t read the textbook

You think it’s 7%?

You can’t say that because

Quora’s not a source.

3.14.25

Why do you have honey?

Stop! If I made videos,

I’d make a lot of money 

I’m going to get rich! 

But why does he have three fingers?

This can’t be a language 

And I’m not trying to erase your culture

You’re just not Chinese

We all know you’re artificial intelligence 

And let me ask you this: why do you have honey?

To make tea!

Cover photo credit: Ye Jinghan