confined spaces sealing broken dreams.
i’m broken too, though it appears i’m together,
broken and severed.
too many years on prison tiers,
too many fears, can’t shed no tears,
seems tears and freedom lost their way. 
fear of not being accepted,
fear of being rejected,
fear of being neglected,
unloved and unprotected.
though I’ve changed my thinking,
don’t feel at ease.
but know somehow these things i’m instilling
will eventually stimulate me mentally,
prove this was meant for me
and just maybe i was meant to be
a voice for the voiceless,
an example of choices
that didn’t belong.
i like that i can write and recite 
the fact i did it wrong.
searching for right,
hurting sometimes at night.
hoping it will come together,
that this won’t last forever.
yeah, i’m broken and shattered,
but the thing that truly matters
is that I can climb, and I still have time
as long as someone holds the ladder.

ABOUT THE WRITER.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Michael Kent is a pleasure to work with. He opens up and shares his feelings and experiences in his poetry, and he is also enthusiastic about exploring writing. I’m hoping he will try his hand with an essay, which I think he would nail because of what I see as his willingness to share his experiences in his poetry.

Michael can be contacted via Getting Out or by writing:
Michael Kent Jr. #15215000
777 Stanton Blvd.
Ontario, OR 97914

lost at fourteen,
a product of the system,
wandering behind walls
confining souls like Satan.
silent screams of youth
can be heard through my eyes,
far off cries for a seat at Grandma’s table.
while sleeping beside a toilet
on a concrete slab
atop a 4-inch mattress,
I ride my bike again
with friends left far behind.
reminiscing can be pleasant,
nostalgia can be sickening,
color, emotion, tone; contrast.
recalling crispy fried chicken
and siracha hot chili sauce,
collard greens with bacon strips,
hot water cornbread and Kool-Aid. 
warm tears on my cheeks,
the saltiness finds the corner of my mouth.
reminds me of my father’s whoopings,
all that correcting didn’t correct me.

ABOUT THE WRITER. Michael Kent is a new poet here, and he is a true pleasure to work with. I’m drawn to his writing because of its unforced and genuine quality, and I’m drawn to working with him because of his clear willingness to explore his creativity. I look forward to sharing more here.

Michael can be contacted via Getting Out or by writing:
Michael Kent Jr. #15215000
777 Stanton Blvd.
Ontario, OR 97914