I am confined to a space designed to erase the last traces of humanity that remain after the war over my sanity.
The dark walls stare at me – reeking of the past torture inflicted upon the minds of men before me, men who fought not to succumb to the dangers of losing self.
It’s cold in this steel and concrete jungle, and I’m not talking about the temperature. I’m speaking of the temperament of those overseeing my existence. The ones who label my proud display of black manhood as resistance to the systematic annihilation of the divine nature of I-SELF-LORD-AND-MASTER.
I refuse to let you master me. This torture that you disguise as punishment and use as a tool to break the spirits of men – some who fall victim by wrapping a sheet around their neck in the hopes that it will help – WILL ONLY MAKE ME STRONGER!!!
Strong, like the smell of urine seeping out of the pores of the metal toilet a foot away from my head, which rests on a cold slab of bricks that I count daily to utilize that which keeps me relevant.
In the middle of the night when I lay motionless, trying to ignore the rumbling of the hunger pains eating away at my flesh, every breath feels like a slow death. Some say it’s hell on earth.
Each passing day eats away at my soul. I keep thinking – I can’t wait until I get out of the hole. The war rages on, yet I remain strong – finding salvation in my refusal to let them break me. Mind over matter…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Quentin Jones works with incarcerated writers. He strives to inspire minds and bring change to a flawed system – one designed to eat away at the heart and soul of society. “I will be happy if I can simply inspire someone to become a better person. As a society, we need to challenge ourselves to become better people. We need a lot more LOVE and a lot less HATE.”
Quentin is no longer in ‘the hole’ and can be contacted at:
Quentin Jones #302373
Gus Harrison Correctional Facility
2727 East Beecher Street
Adrian, MI 49221-3506
This and all of the work posted on this site is of the upmost quality and gives such a valuable insight that one does not find on a regular basis. I am a high school English teacher in Norway at an upper secondary school, Nannestad vgs, and my students and I started working with incarcerated individual, all young when they went into the system in the United States with life and life without parole. We stopped using regular school textbooks in our study of America and started living through the eyes of these young men in the U.S. prison system. We have carried out many extensive school projects from letter writing to research work and even did a food corruption and food waste project with them. My students have a reading list discussing each book and writing essays and poetry to them in collaboration with the incarcerated. Quentin Jones is one of the men I work with through a literature circle. His and his friends’ work coming out of the Gus Harrison Facility is reflected in this piece of work here. Thank you for the work you do. Marianne Ruud, English Teacher, Norway
I am overwhelmed by how much heart and insight I get from the people I hear from. And, I can’t thank you enough for all you do as well.
Quentin is a very wise and kind man and it really is amazing how strong and positive people still can be in such harsh and inhumane conditions, devoid of any humanity. He inspires his friends in prison who are also very intelligent guys. Hats off to you Quentin!
This is Quentin’s way of giving back and also providing a voice for all those who are incarcerated. He is gathering others around him at the Gus Harrison Facility in Adrian, MI, to contribute with their voices. Thank you, Kim Carter, for the amazing work you do here!