Dan Grote

From 6x9

11.

Everyone’s doing time,
Life is its own prison.
And all sin is a crime,
Everywhere are victims.
Who hasn’t crossed a line,
Tried to beat The System?
And do you hide your guilt
Behind a veil of class?
At least I’ve copped to mine.

12.

Inmate turns to Convict,
A slow transformation
Yet one necessary
To survive all these years.
Just a bird with clipped wings,
So just accept your place
And perch inside the cage.
Sharpened beak and talons,
And so much pent-up rage.

 

Dan Grote is an incarcerated writer residing in the federal system.  He is the author of several holdup notes, a few signed confessions and The Sum Total of My Mistakes, a chapbook of poetry put out by between the Between Shadows Press. Please contact him via email the thedangrote@gmail.com