Month: October 2022

by Osbun Walton, San Quentin State Prison, CA In truth, from the time of my arrest, when I was handcuffed, it was in that moment I wished for freedom. And in my conviction, my sentencing, was not a hope nor prayer for me to wish for freedom but I did.  Physically, for 28 years I am enslaved behind prison concrete high walls, with gun towers, to secure my physical body within the bounds of incarceration for a time more than my life could endure. Small cages, I and other prisoners are assigned to our unit for an animal captured or

by TruthNPoetry, San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, CA It’s the craziest thingOr should I say, “thang,”Peer pressure, to love myself lesserBy joining a gang,I object on conscious groundsSo I continue to abstain,It bothers me deeplySo many children are slain,So I ain’t down to rideI don’t want to hangI’m only 12 and continuouslyHave to explain, “nah, I don’t bang,”I reject the appealOf living in fearLike TupacI shed so many tearsIntellectually I fail to graspThis fatal seduction,Of willful participationIn self-destruction,Blindly pledging allegianceTo tribal violence andGlamorizing the use of drugs,Abandon my moral compassAdopt the values of a thug,Use gang signs to

by Mr. Francisco “Frank” Gonzalez, RJ Donovan State Prison in San Diego, CA It has been quite a while since I’ve written to the great pages of The Beat Within with a powerful positive message that wow’s you every time. It’s 2022, and the unprecedented pandemic is hard to ignore these days. I’ve traveled this great state from within its prisons from Pelican Bay to the sunny side of RJ Donovan where I now find myself on a level 3 for the first time in my life (incarcerated life of 30 years). To begin with, I do not and did

by Truth N Poetry, San Quentin, CA “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”-Pablo Picasso My gift is using words, poetic expressions which uplifts, heals and informs and if need be create a fire. Most of us have been cautioned since our youth that “words have power,” and if you are not going to say anything nice be quiet.  I choose to use my gift of words to heal and help, rather than hurt others. See owning our power is in every decision. Yes, we all have the power