Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingYear: 2021
Ed Note 26.33/34
Greetings! We are incredibly impressed with the amount of writing many of you are sharing with us each week, thank you. We would like to welcome you readers back for another double issue of writing and art from our amazing friends – young and old – inside and outside of the system. We are also incredibly grateful to you writers who are embracing this opportunity for the first time. The chance to have your voice heard is important. To tell your story is important and to educate your take on our topics means plenty to us and our many readers.
Continue ReadingDays In The Hall, Reflecting
by Mando, San Mateo I hate jail. It’s always the same thing every day. I hate getting told what to do all day long. Something I’m looking forward to is court. I have court soon, ten days from today. I’m not getting out soon. I know that for sure. I saw my mom today and my step dad. It was good to see them. I only get to see them for an hour though. That sucks. My mom gave me a book called Adrift. I guess it’s about a couple that gets lost at sea and it’s based on a
Continue ReadingOverthinking About My Mom
by TM, Sacramento Every day in my cell not being home, I overthink if my mom is still okay. Is she doing good? Does she have enough money for herself? How is her and my little sister doing? Is she/they stressed because I am in jail? And have things changed since I been in jail? Are they hurt or emotionally hurt? I be worried sick in my cell everyday about them and to get them off my mind. Nothing ever works because they are always, always on my mind. I try to do things like play basketball or draw to
Continue ReadingMind Battles
by D, Sacramento Being an overthinker is one of the worst things you can be. Most battles are in your mind and if you are an overthinker like I am, it can be hard. When you are an overthinker, you think very deeply into a certain subject. Sometimes deeper than you need to. You start to think about what-if’s and what can possibly happen. Overthinking can cause anxiety and maybe even depression. You can spend hours and even days thinking over and over about a specific thing. Overthinking can also be a good thing. It can lessen the possibilities of
Continue ReadingTo My Parents
by YoungMan, San Mateo My main purpose in writing this is to apologize to my parents that have taken care of me, helped me and supported me since day one. Even though there’s times that I put them through hell, I wouldn’t be where I was without them. You guys have done the unimaginable and helped me throughout my whole life. The first parent is my mom and this is one of the most important people to me. Being in here really taught me to appreciate my mom. Now, don’t get me wrong, I never did anything out of pocket
Continue ReadingThankful For That Which I Do Not Deserve
by Armando Gonzalez, San Quentin State Prison, CA In the middle of quick purposeful strides towards the young man I intend to beat on I am stopped by, “He has a gun!” Literally arm’s length away, I pause to ask him, “What’s up, you strapped or what?” Thinking that as he pulls the gun out, I can take it away from him. Instead, I see the barrel point up at me from inside the pocket of the heavy jacket he had on. I couldn’t think to do anything else but twist and basically try to hide behind my own arm.
Continue ReadingDear You
by Jaymone K. Lewis, otosi Correctional Center in Mineral Point, Missouri What thoughts are enveloping your conscious at this moment? Think beyond the words that you are consciously reading right now and really try to grasp the deepest thoughts possible. What drew your mind to want to look into the thoughts of others? Was it boredom? Curiosity about other forms of human Nature? Or did you want to trade shoes with someone else temporarily and have any relevance to yours. I asked those questions to get your brain running while also opening a door to deeper thinking. Why? Because life
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Volume 26.31/32
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 26.31/32
Another week, another Beat! We are thrilled to get this latest issue of our amazing publication into your hands. There is plenty of great writings to be shared and to be able to produce this one-of-a-kind publication every two weeks means the world to us. We can’t thank you, writers and artists, enough for all your time and work. The dedication of your writing truly shines in these pages! We can’t thank our many partners, allies, and friends who help make this program a success for all of us. This is the kind of work where you can’t do it
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