I wrote this poem for my friend Nolan.  
He’s been incarcerated since the age of 16.  He is now 31 years old.

NOT SAVAGES!

Nolan,
Sitting here before dawn prayer,
Thinking of you,
Wherever you maybe,
I pray you’ll be free.
One day at a time,
Sublime,
Divine,
These words are not mine.

Remember…
Remember when we first met,
No, it was no movie set,
I bet,
You remember
December,
In the lion’s den,
First days in the Pen,
Young cub,
SHU club,
Now look at you!

You’re closer than you think,
Don’t blink,
Or sink,
Just follow the traces of my ink,
And we’ll meet again,
And again,
Somewhere between these lines,
Are signs,
For those who see,
BREAK FREE!

Break free with your kindness,

With your manners,
With your words,
With your prayers,
With every ounce of goodness in you,
With everything you got!
Because We. All. Need. You,

Until then,
Remind them again,
and again,

THAT WE
ARE 
NOT
SAVAGES!