Prison Poetry - Modern Times

For me, it is helpful to know what a prisoner is guilty of before I can easily read his words.

There's a link at the top.
Hope its helpful

Here are two very tender Holocaust Poems


Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be
lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We
had dreams, then we had no hope. We were
taken away in the dead of night like cattle in
cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying,
starving, dying. Separated from the world to
be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea.
This atrocity to mankind can not happen again.
Remember us, for we were the children whose
dreams and lives were stolen away.



Holocaust
by Sudeep Pagedar

How do you
explain that term
to a ten-
year old boy
who, one day,
hears it mentioned
by some relatives?

And even if
you do manage
to make him
understand what it
actually does mean,
do you also
tell him that
because he is

A GERMAN JEW,

perhaps, some day,
he might be
included in it...?

Or should he
just not be
told, so that
he remains calm
and doesn't lose
sleep over it?

But what is sleep,
in front of death?
Perhaps Death is greater,
perhaps the two are the same;
we do not know yet
but we'll know, by the end of the day;
the Chambers are yet some hours away.

"To die, to sleep...to sleep, perchance to dream..."

How did Shakespeare realise that?
Did he know some Jew
who was persecuted too?
Perhaps he was wrong,
maybe he was right...
Anyway, I suspect we'll find out
by tonight.





http://www.auschwitz.dk/id6.htm
http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/niem.htm

Poetry By Sami Al-Arian


Livin' in the SHU*

*SHU: Special Housing Unit

Get used to it
You're livin' in the SHU

Let's establish some rules
Until you get your next review

In solitary round the clock
Enjoy the shielded view

Your hands cuffed behind you
They may turn black and blue

Whether sick or not
Forget seeing the doc
For a stroke or the flu

You'll be with the violent
The vulgar and insane
So you'd better get a clue

You'll be strip searched naked
Every time you leave your cell
Just makin' sure you knew

Better check your hearing
The dissonance is deafening
Fire alarms are always on
It's like being in a zoo

There'll be no religious observation
For your congregation
Whether Muslim, Christian, or Jew

You may get one hour
Of recreation every day
Enjoy it while you may
Because that's discretionary too

Visits have their rules
See family through the glass
But friends can never pass
Whether old or new

One 15-minute call per month
Use it wisely
Or lose it promptly
And wait forever in the queue

And by the way
No library today
Even if you pay
The charges that are due

You'll have no hot water, no tea, or soup,
No pens, or pads, or watch to tell the time
Though we do not know your crime
Here your rights are through

It's all about misbehavior
And enforcing strict control
Take heed of the wrath of prison patrol
If you get our cue

You have not been convicted
But that's none of our concern
Here's a place you've earned
Lady Liberty is ours to screw

This is about security, you bastard
And if you don't like it
Call your lawyer and your accountant
We dare you to sue


--------------------------------------


A Sincere Prayer

O' my Lord, to whom do I turn
To a hypocrite who wishes me to burn
Or an enemy who wants me to be slain
Or the wicked, who unjustly detain
Or the misguided, whose faith is in vain
Or the ignorant, who doesn't learn
Or the poor, who cannot earn
Or a stranger who will refrain
Or the corrupt, whose support I won't maintain
Or a liar who wants to entertain
Or a busy man, whose help I cannot obtain
Or the weak, whose own relief he cannot attain
Or the arrogant, whose compassion I'd never gain
It's only to you my Lord
That I shall come again and again
Bestow on me the faith
That forever will sustain

------------------------------------------------------

Strip-Search

His body was built
His head was bald

His heart was dead
His face was cold

His eyes were fierce
Moustache was thick

He lifted his finger
I was his pick

Take off your jumper
And shirt and boxers

But I've only been to the library
Have not seen or met anybody

Strip, you're going to strip
And don't you dare move your lip

Take off your jumper
And shirt and boxers

Open your mouth
Show me your tongue

Give me a cough
Deep from your lung

Hold your buttocks
And bend over

Turn around
Lift it up
And stay sober

The routine is to humiliate
To scar and intimidate

His "search" took an eternity
In the name of security
They strip you of your dignity


-------------------------------------------------


Sami Al-Arian
Political Prisoner Since Feb. 20, 2003

-----------------------------------

I've taken note of Edger's comment and will post information on poets if:
a) they are still living
b) there is access to information

However, as I did with 'Modern Times' - I shall leave links for more information in all cases.

So, heres some info on Dr Sami Al-Arian

-------------------------------------------------

About the Author

The son of Palestinian refugees, Dr. Sami Al-Arian came to the United States in 1975, where he has since lived with his wife of 25 years, Nahla, and his five American-born children.

Dr. Al-Arian has been professor at the University of South Florida, where he taught computer science since 1986 and received two awards for outstanding teaching. In 1990, he co-founded the World and Islam Studies Enterprise (WISE), a research and academic institution dedicated to promoting dialogue between the Muslim and Western worlds.

Dr. Al-Arian has been a tireless voice for freedom and justice at home and around the world. In 1997, he cofounded the Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace, a local coalition opposed to the unconstitutional use of secret evidence and other civil rights violations, as well as ongoing media attacks against Arabs and Muslims. He also co-founded the National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom, the nation's leading coalition challenging the use of secret evidence, and was elected as its first president in 2000. Dr. Al Arian is the recipient of three Civil Rights Awards from the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the American Muslim Council (AMC), and American Muslim Alliance (AMA).

Dr. Sami Al-Arian was arrested by federal authorities in February 2003 on spurious charges of supporting terrorism. He still awaits his trial.

http://www.palestineonlinestore.com/books/conspiring.htm




Dec. 20, 2005
St. Petersburg Times

Al-Arian wants charges dropped

There's no point for federal prosecutors to retry him on the charges the jury couldn't decide, Al-Arian's lawyer says.
By Meg Laughlin

TAMPA - As Sami Al-Arian sits in jail awaiting the government's next move, his lawyers filed a motion Monday asking federal authorities to dismiss the nine remaining charges against him.

In Al-Arian's recent six-month trial on 17 federal charges, the former University of South Florida professor was acquitted of eight counts and the jury hung on the remaining nine, saying there wasn't enough evidence to convict him.

Federal prosecutors must decide whether to retry him, but his lawyers argue that there's little point in doing that.

"Dr. Al-Arian was acquitted of the charge that he conspired to murder and maim outside the United States," said Al-Arian's attorney, Linda Moreno. "This is the overarching conspiracy charge which pervades all of the others in this case, making it impossible to convict on the others."

After almost three years in jail, Al-Arian was tried from June 6 to Dec. 6, accused of conspiring to raise money for the violent acts of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Israel and the occupied territories.

No matter what, he faces deportation.




Judge R. Kevin McHugh, who looked at all these allegations in an extensive hearing, wrote in an October 27, 2000 ruling: "Although there were allegations that the ICP and WISE [the organizations in question] were fronts for Palestinian political causes, there is no evidence before the Court that demonstrates that either organization was a front for the PIJ. To the contrary, there is evidence in the record to support the conclusion that WISE was a reputable and scholarly research center and the ICP was highly regarded."

Given Dr. Al-Arian's past vindication, his arrest and the government's use of unconstitutional provisions in the Patriot Act are clearly attempts to silence and intimidate the American Muslim community.



http://www.freesamialarian.com/home.htm------------------------------------------------

ALEXANDER PUSHKIN (1799-1837)

The Wish

I shed my tears; my tears - my consolation;
And I am silent; my murmur is dead,
My soul, sunk in a depression's shade,
Hides in its depths the bitter exultation.
I don't deplore my passing dream of life --
Vanish in dark, the empty apparition!
I care only for my love's infliction,
And let me die, but only die in love!



Solitude

He's blessed, who lives in peace, that's distant
From the ignorant fobs with calls,
Who can provide his every instance
With dreams, or labors, or recalls;
To whom the fate sends friends in score,
Who hides himself by Savior's back
From bashful fools, which lull and bore,
And from the impudent ones, which wake.



To a Poet

A poet! Do not prize the love of people around,
It soon will pass -- the glorifying hum --
And come a court of fools and laughing of cold crowd --
But you must always stay firm, morose and calm.

You're king: live lonesome. Along the freedom's road,
Stride there, to where just shows your free mind,
While modernizing fruits of thoughts, beloved,
And not demanding you to be awarded.

Awards inside of you. You are your highest court;
Severely then all, you value your effort.
Well, are you satisfied, oh, my severe artist?

You're satisfied. Then let the mob condemn your verse,
Spit at the altar, where your fire burns,
And toss your brass tripod with somewhat childish wildness.


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, September, 1999
For more on Pushkin:
http://myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=a_pushkin

The poem 'Holocaust'
Hi, this is Sudeep Pagedar, author of the work of poetry 'Holocaust' that you've mentioned in the thread on prison poetry.
I was born in 1988 and have no Jewish connection. 'Holocaust' was a composition, born of empathy towards the victims of the Shoah. I was wondering, would you happen to know of other poets not directly affected by the Holocaust or any experience of imprisonment and yet, who have written about such things? If yes, I'd really appreciate it if you could send me a link or links to them.
Peace.

Re: The poem 'Holocaust'


So sorry not to get back to you sooner Sudeep.
To be honest - I'm no expert when it comes to poetry. I started researching prisoner poetry when I wanted to write my own stuff about feeling 'closed off' from the outside world.
Google for prisoner poetry and take it from there is my advice.
Publishers themselves might be more helpful

Please do visit the original writing forum - you may find stuff of interest there.
I was very moved your poem - maybe you can let us see more!

Peace,
Endy

Greetings, Endymion.
I'll have a look at what a Google search turns up.
Have visited the original forum - interesting!
Am pleased, 'Holocaust' was able to affect you.
I'd be glad to share some of my other works.
Here are a few links to websites where you will find my poetry -

http://www.shoah.dk/Pagedar/website.htm
balshree.bravejournal.com/entry/15225
http://gr8.philosopher.googlepages.com

Do let me know your opinions about these.
Peace.

Hi Sudeep, I doubt that you'll read this - it's so late coming back to you - but I wanted to leave a reply - just in case.
I've stayed away from this thread for a while - because I do find it quite depressing - but I had a look at your web page the other day and I was really impressed. The poetry is very interesting and I really liked the one about the athlete. The site is fantastic - very serene and subtle - good choice of imagery.
But man, that music!
It kept me there for quite some time. Really chilled me out. Is it a sample? Or did you put it together?

Whatever, it made my day. Thanks for that.

Keep up the inspirational work

Peace, Endy