Category: The Beat Without

by Armando Gonzalez, San Quentin State Prison, CA Today is bright and sunny, with a crisp chill in the air. It’s about ten in the morning, and I’ve been doing push-ups, pull-ups, and dips for about forty-five minutes.  One of the fellas who’s recently been let out of the SHU (Security Housing Unit) comes by and asks, “Hey bro, you got a minute?”  “Yeah, what’s up?”  He says, “let’s spin some laps.”  As we start to walk around the track, he asks, “Hey, about a year ago, did you put in a request to go Christian?”  I say, “Yes.”  He

by LWOP “P”, High Desert State Prison in Susanville, CA Well allow me to extend my profound love and gratitude your way. With that being said straight to the matter at hand! It’s January 23rd, 2021 early in the morning and I just got done bird-bathing. For those that don’t know what it means, it means as it sounds; bathing in the cell, washing up. Filling up the sink with water, and you sit down facing the sink and with a cup you start to you bathe yourself.  Furthermore! I’m not here to talk about a bird bath. However I’m

by Matthew Feeney, Moose Lake, Minnesota The man was jolted out of his fitful slumber by an unfamiliar noise. He lay silently in his bed, letting awareness slowly soared back into his head. He listened again for the sound. The constant hum and whirl from the ventilation grills was all he heard. It was all he heard in the last 68 days (give or take a day or two).  Not that he was complaining. As long as he heard that familiar hum from the vent, he knew he still had a fighting chance of survival. Whatever the sound was real

by Floyd D. Collins, San Quentin State Prison, CA Life is a journey and on this road there are many streets, roads, detours and obstacles. For me coming to prison I didn’t have a GPS to help me navigate through the unknown. My first stop after going through the process of San Francisco County Jail “7th floor” was San Quentin reception center “Badger Section” 5th tier. Knowing nothing about prison I had to become a student. I looked and learned and spoke when spoked to. This taught me how to listen and talk less. Starting my 25 to life sentence

by Eddie Grande, Correctional Training Facility, Soledad, CA Power, how would like to be able to choose your own president? How would you like to be able to choose your own Bills and Laws? Decide who you want seated in office? Who your Governor is, who your Attorney General is? Your Mayor? Police Chief? Head City Prosecutor? How would you like to have a say in what taxes you pay and on what, to have the right to be able to do that is power and a power that is earned by privilege and  earned by remaining a productive and

by Jesse Manuel Ventura, Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, CA Christmas to me at this time is a reminder of the conclusion of another year that has culminated understanding the events that have taken place by absorbing all the bad with the good and after twenty years of being incarcerated I miss and love my family and friends so very much. The truth is that at this time in Christmas we are in a year living with a deadly virus that has spread worldwide where so many lives have been lost or have a loved one affected by this virus

by Taylor Kraig, Oregon Department of Corrections in Urialla, Oregon Spending time in lock-up or detention can be lonely and troubling. Time slows down and structure is brought upon you. It’s easy to be frustrated and annoyed. I know this from my own experience. I am 24 years old and I am 4 years in on my 10 year sentence. When I first got sentenced I was frustrated. I was confused and I was lost. I sat on the yard and asked myself, “What do I want to make of this time?” I went back to my cell that night

by Jesse Ayers, San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, CA “You can’t always get what you want. But if yozzzzzzzu try sometimes, you just might find…You get what you need.” (Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones) for me it’s not that poetic. Kick rocks bro (The lady who rejected me). I know I am cute and funny. Some might say hilarious and handsome. I do my best. But there comes a time when you meet a woman and she laughs at all your jokes, I mean even the corny ones when there are moments where she is patient and

by Mesro Coles El, San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, CA Being accepted is the greatest feeling in the world. It is my firm belief that so many people end up locked up because they want acceptance from their parents acceptance from their peers, and acceptance from themselves. As social creatures, we humans seek togetherness, acceptance and sometimes we change our outward appearance and beliefs just to “fit in” with a crowd. This usually leads to bad behavior, crime, and a rejection of their lives to accept the views of people that hate them or that do not know

by Angel Ruelas, Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, CA Playing sports has always been my identity. I remember running home from elementary school, just so I could get ready for my little league baseball games. I played all sports, from baseball, football, soccer, wrestling to even being on a swim team called Soledad Sharks. I just enjoyed wearing all of the uniforms and feeling like I was a part of something that was much bigger than me alone. I recall when playing football back then that I would put on my cleats and a rush of excitement would start