CHAIN GANG<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Chain Gang – Text only version:<\/p>\n
20 writers, 2 nations\u2026 one heck of a story – this was how we advertised the recent collaborative writing project between one American jail and one British prison to prospective writers in HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire, England. And it did indeed, turn out to be, one heck of a story.
\nTen highly talented writers from Erlestoke and ten more from Colorado \u2018s Larimer County Jail in Fort Collins, stepped up to the challenge. Leaders from both workshops offered writing prompts via video so that writers could find inspiration from a range of ideas and thinkers. The writers worked and then exchanged their writing for feedback.
\nIt wasn\u2019t always easy, and every writer in their own way challenged themselves to stretch their talent further, and write in styles they hadn\u2019t previously considered.
\nPerhaps the most challenging part of all was to give and receive feedback to a group of others writers, equally committed to their practice, but who were first-named strangers sitting somewhere across the Atlantic. Each writer in this position must stand and fall by his words alone\u2026but no one fell. Here we are pleased to feature some of the work composed by some of the writers.
\nSome of the men are already accomplished writers. From Erlestoke, Michael and Dan are both poets, and Dave is well on his way to writing a life story with the familiarity of your childhood backyard and the wicked string of Irish humour to keep you on your toes. James has an express train of a novel that combines plot and philosophy into a tightly woven narrative of conspiracy and prophecy.
\nOther writers may have had less experience but no less commitment to developing their craft and they produced some really powerful pieces of work; Kyle, Ben, David, Wayne and Jon all shaped their ideas into lines that were at times razor sharp and stark, while at others, beautifully wrought with the cadence of skilful prose. There was heartfelt encouragement, inspiring words, support and the slow process of learning the craft of writing in the company of others. It is an ongoing process, a work-in-progress, and it is a privilege to be able to share some of their stories so far. We hope to continue our new Trans-Atlantic collaboration in the future.
\nTobi Jacobi (Colorado State University, USA)
\nAnd Ella Simpson (Bath Spa University, UK)<\/p>\n
\nA New Start<\/strong>
\nDave (UK)<\/strong><\/p>\nAll my life, from day Dot, all I have ever done is simply \u2013 survive
\nThe future though is my time, a time to THRIVE<\/p>\n
Because at all my violent convictions,
\nI have been contained and controlled by restrictions<\/p>\n
It has been an epic Battle, to be locked up
\nHere there, everywhere \u2013 Driven about like a piece of cattle<\/p>\n
Am I an animal? A piece of Dirt? A waste of space?
\nNo, I am a mammal \u2013 Just like you<\/p>\n
Do I deserve less from life than you\u2026.or you?
\nFor me the stakes were higher but God loves a trier?<\/p>\n
I have seriously considered suicide because I can\u2019t
\nseem to coincide since I tried to commit the homicide<\/p>\n
So here I sit up high, on the parapet, looking down on all
\nof you, because now the tables have turned, oh yes<\/p>\n
I have been burned, but now those old scars have healed
\nand the real David has now been revealed<\/p>\n
I know now that I can be Somebody and do you know
\nWhat? I\u2019m quite happy that Somebody is me!!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nProfessor Moss 2006<\/strong>
\nDan De Lion (UK)<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s going to affect your hearing\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m a bit deaf already\u201d I said.
\nSurgery, Chemo, now a Radio Ring,
\nI suppose better this than end up dead<\/p>\n
The shock of diagnosis
\nNever left just changed direction
\nInducing neurosis, and psychosis
\nPredators you can\u2019t run from<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re in very good hands, she\u2019s
\nThe best in her field \u2026\u2026 Oncology\u201d
\nSomeone said \u2026. But not to me
\n\u201cHe\u2019s not himself\u201d an apology
\n\u201cHe hasn\u2019t been \u2013 for quite some time,
\nyou see\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Forever and Always Ash<\/strong>
\nKyle (UK)<\/strong><\/p>\nIf I had never met you I would still be bitter.
\nI would not know happiness, love and joy.
\nI would still be immature and hate myself and the world around me.
\nI would have succumbed to the darkness around me and I would end up old and alone.
\nDrugs and alcohol would be the focus of my life.
\nI would be swept along with no aim like a plastic bag in the wind.
\nThe streets would be my domain and the rage inside me would be untamed.
\nMy soul would be lost as it did not have a mate to play with.
\nI would forever and always be lost to the world that does not understand me.
\nThe end would come I would be burned and turned to Ash unclaimed and Unloved.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Love is<\/strong>
\nRyan J. (USA)<\/strong><\/p>\nLove is like Wes because he is caring
\nLove is like josh because of the pain in his eyes
\nLove is a man\u2019s best friend, Josh
\nLove is like a cat, it wants to chase dogs
\nLove is like cars, it can go fast
\nlove is like Loveland, it\u2019s in the name
\nLove is like USA got love for my home team
\nLove is like a flower, specifically roses
\nLove is like TV, the world is watching
\nLove is like pants,
\nyou can never find the right pair.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nAshes to Ashes, <\/strong>
\nDust to Dust.<\/strong>
\nCowboy (USA)<\/strong><\/p>\nI met her in a moment of light, and spent the rest of our lives in hell. Burning with what we thought was love caused us to melt – together, burning, united in pain we died. Dying to live our souls finally parted; freedom to feel was the day our love started. Smoke and dust settled and cleared making us who we now appear – happy, health better apart. Love and hate refund the true results of broken together, thinking you care, but it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
House of Ravens<\/strong>
\nE\/P Wordsmith (USA)<\/strong><\/p>\nInstead of a college degree,
\nI spent the first two years of my adult life in the Army.
\nInstead of a career,
\nI spent the next six years in prison for a childish decision.
\nInstead of a baby boy to hold,
\nI get to spend my time looking at a
\nmemorial on a tombstone.
\nInstead of bliss and joy and love,
\nI get to spend the next six years longing for my wife.
\nInstead of getting my life back,
\nI get to spend the rest of my life making up for lost time.
\nInstead of being me,
\nI get to be what you\u2019ve created within me.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nInstead of<\/strong>
\nRex Gold (USA)<\/strong><\/p>\nInstead of dying, my best friend finished his sentence, made it out of CCJ alive and became a rapper with me.
\nWe toured the US, freestyling on the bus just like we used to in my old grey Buick on the way to mine to buy heroin.
\nInstead of dying I had a chance to be a better friend to him and tell him I love him and always have his back.
\nBut in this particular situation, in this universe, there is no instead of dying cuz he\u2019s dead and that\u2019s that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With the ‘Penned Up’ festival just over the next thing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[93,247,345,364],"class_list":["post-569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-chain-gang","tag-life-in-prison","tag-poetry","tag-prison-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jailhousemoose.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}