Prison

It's the dark white Hades
beneath the "land of liberty"
that holds a full percent
of our population

Murderers and misfits,
robbers, righteous rebels, devils,
addicts, schizophrenics,
even the "innocent"

In our land of free speech,
anarchy breaks loose
and the fear of a fiery hell
loses credibility and power,
replaced by a Hades
of crowded cells, bad food,
blue suits, cold iron,
and dismal white walls

For me,
it's been a motivator
to stay out of trouble,
try to fit into society's boxes,
to use my brains and freedom
to improve the world,
and burn my name in the sky

so that the thinking world
can't forget me,
even should I fall
far beneath the earth
(where I've never been)

innocent or guilty
dead or alive