Making Room for Hope... The New York State Literary Center

Check out the website. The founder and leader of this organization, Dale Davis, is truly a force in the teaching artist field. The work of the youth and young men in correctional facilities with which NYSLC works is moving, strong, and breathtaking....

I Want To Write
By Miguel

I want to write to turn insanity into clarity,
write to a convict on death row
and have tears roll off his cheeks.
I want my words to reach the inner
chambers of a frozen heart and let it thaw.
I want to write to a woman who has seen it all
and had enough hardships and turn them into soft voyages.
If I could, I would write to life and
let it know
it's playing a novice while it's a pro
in a game only itself knows.
I wish I could write to who I was four
years ago
to say: take it slowly, cuz if not...well you already know.
I want to write words to express
all of the stress you gain from such a test
of having your freedom taken away
by no other than yourself.
I want to write for help but I'm scared of
the one who will send it.
I want to write to a young mother
to let her see how much harder I made her
stay here,
but still she WILL reap the benefits
you can only gain from having kids.
I just want to write until carpal tunnel takes
over my wrist...and hard,
and I'll either become left handed or the
loudest man
to say what I have to say
because the world is my stand.
I want to write...

What I Have to Say
By Rodney

I apologize,
I apologize
for leaving my loved ones behind.

I am a young Black man who has been in the system too long.

I was searching.
I was searching.
I was searching for freedom,
but I never found where it was at.
It was lost.
Will I find it?

Somebody has to hear my story.