Memories are my companions.
They have stayed with me my
whole life.
Moments of better times
sustain me through endless
hours of isolation.
Some memories are more like
Enemies, they hurt so bad
I can barely breathe.
Moments of joy, others of sorrow,
made me the man I am today
I’m hopeful for tomorrow.
I am affirmation.
I am adaptation.
I am affirming, I am adapting.
I am born of a marriage of
these two things.
I am transforming now.
I am transcending now.
I am now.
I am not then, I am not him.
I am me.
Inside my mind, I am free
I am an artist, a poet, a Sagittarius. Serving a life without parole sentence. July 2009 was the last time I experienced freedom, when I was sentenced to the secondary death penalty. The judge looked me in the eyes, told me I would die alone. I would be alone until the time of my death. I was 30 then. My soul seemed to die that cold winter day when I was sentenced. I never felt so alone in my life as I did my first night in San Quentin State Prison. It looks like a dungeon. People need hope. Hope is the expectation and desire for something good an anticipation of a change of circumstances for the better. Through my writing and poetry, I realized I have never lost hope. God is my companion. He provided hope and purpose. I enjoy good conversations with positive, uplifting people. I am currently a student at Merced College. I enjoy reading poetry and writings, and I am interested in what people have to say and think. Let me know what’s on your mind.
My prison was and at times still is depression and anxiety. What can you say to help?
Hi A.M.E! We sent Stewart your comment, and he replied with a poem he wrote:
I see you
And understand how you feel
Think to myself
That is me too
The fact that you are there
Outside these walls and that you care
Makes my burden easier to bare
It seems depression and anxiety are
Not all that we share
Empathy I feel yours I needed that
Here is some of my own I’m sending back
I hope this helps free
from your hard times
Because your reply to my post
Helped free me from mine.