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Under Lock & Key

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 75]
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Prison Tears

by a Texas prisoner October 2021
I cry and the teardrop is full of metal bars
The bars being another representative for these hidden scars
No one can feel my pain because it’s locked away
How can you sit in a cell and stare at the four walls all day?
Looking this way and that way, right and left, which ever way the tears flow
Pain and the trauma is the very essence that cause the tears to grow
I lost my liberty and the only thing I can do is freely cry

Plastick of MIM(Prisons) adds: I’m sure many of our readers can relate to the pain this poem expresses. The retribution and the brutality the pigs lay out on the masses and revolutionaries strikes us at our hearts. Mao Zedong taught us that all men die, but death varies in significance: death lighter than a feather and death heavier than Mount Tai. Malcolm X in regards to his life as a lumpen gangster said that it is of no shame to have once been a criminal, but the shame comes from staying in that criminal road unwilling to change.

The author of this poem has done more than just cry in prison. Ey has supported MIM(Prisons) financially, reported on local conditions and studied revolutionary theory. Of course these things can all be controlled by the state or the whims of the prison guard, so perhaps they cannot always be done freely, or without retribution. We print this poem as a genuine expression of a USW comrade, but include this addendum since we do not agree with the conclusion as the pages of Under Lock & Key should make clear.

If you are reading this comrade, know that the world is with you! That goes for our readers as well! There’s much more we can do – more that we must do – against the imperialists and the reactionaries. The world is yours!

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 77]
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The Gates

by a Georgia prisoner October 2021

The gates will open, and once more I’ll be free. But there’s a fact that makes me wonder, What will become of me?

Do I have a “future” awaiting me such as the past I’ve known? Will there be opportunity of “employment” for men such as myself? Or will I have to sell drugs, steal and rob again, in order just to get by?

What about my “family” who love me very much? The ones I haven’t seen in years. Can they accept me now without any doubts or fears?

What about the “people” I once knew, but haven’t seen in a while, Will they accept my “friendship” or will I be forced to walk alone?

Yes. The “gates” will open and once more I’ll be free. But there’s a fact to make me wonder, What will become of me?

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 73]
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Fallen (The Empire)

by an Indiana prisoner May 2021
The imperialist capitalist
World super-power; Amerikkka must fall
This bourgeois country don’t deserve
2 stand tall
Not when it was established on slavery
And built on the dressed up lie of equality
Somethan’ it can not live up 2 today
In the face of mass modern-day inequality
And mass incarceration
Which is nothan’ more than modern-day slavery
Come on my people wake-up
Wake up my people
And I’m not just talkin’ about Black people
No
I’m talkin’ about the common man and woman
All of humanity
Don’t you see that We are destroyin’ the planet
On top of that
We are bein’ exploited by the global elite
Got-damn-it
The proletariat of this imperialist
Capitalist world superpower-Amerikkka
Are you and me
The poverty-stricken common man and woman
On our backs stand this unjust country
Just as all things that goes up
It 2 must
Shall fall
Just watch and see
The empire is fallin’
The empire is fallin’
No
The empire has fallen
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 74]
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Rage On

by New Born May 2021
I’m a fan of literal and biblical hell
But I’m not a fan of people getting tortured to tell
Is it because I’m a Moslem that they feed me the wrong foods
Or can I say in Jesus’ name to make Jehovah say I do
She speaks better English than me yet she’s not an Amerikkkan
Maybe because the only citizens are the Ku Klux Klan
How can a European call home this land on the Northern shores
When the first inhabitants were the Natives and the Moors
Columbus didn’t really find this land empty
And George Washington didn’t really chop down a cherry tree
Columbo found this land full of “savages” he say
And that cherry tree was the flag of the Moors of today
I wonder will this be said amongst the People
And when will the New Afrikan be considered equal
I sit here contemplating hour by hour
And when I “Rage” against the system I yell Black Power
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[Culture] [Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 81]
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Poem: The Government is a Rapist

by a Michigan prisoner February 2021
THE BREAKER OF SPIRITS, THE BOOGIE MAN CREEPS,
TIP THROUGH THE NIGHT WHILE EVERYONE SLEEPS.
TAKE THIS ABUSE, SHUT UP AND SIT,
GIVE US A LOLLIPOP AND HOPE WE FORGET.

CAPTURE THE SPIRITS, MESS WITH THE MINDS,
GO OUT IN PUBLIC LIKE EVERYTHING’S FINE.
A HOT BLOODED THIRST FOR THE SOULS TO EXPLORE,
ACTING LIKE THEY’RE THE GOOD NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR.

JUVENILE JUSTICE, GET TOUGH ON CRIME,
KILL THE BLACK YOUTH WHILE THEY’RE STILL IN THEIR PRIME.
LIFE FROM THE FLESH, WATCH THE SOUL PASS,
VAMPIRES DON’T SUCK BLOOD FROM A GLASS.

THE CONCEPTION OF EQUALITY, FLEES AND ABORTS,
JUDICIAL GENOCIDE LIES INSIDE THE COURTS.
THEY MAKE LEGAL, THAT WHICH WAS A SIN,
THE LOLLIPOP KIDS GET FAKED OUT AGAIN!

RAVISH OUR COMMUNITIES, LIKE GARBAGE IN THE BIN,
NOTHING RISING UP BUT THE DUST IN THE WIND.
CROOKED COPS SEPARATE THE BLOOD FROM THE KIN,
CORRUPTION IS A CANCER THAT HAS GROWN FROM WITHIN.

WE ALL FACE EXTINCTION, READ BETWEEN THE FACTS,
STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS ARE AIMED AT THE BLACKS.
THE DANCE OF INJUSTICE, PREYS ON OUR NIGHTS,
DO THE STANKY LEG AS THEY SPIT ON OUR RIGHTS.

KIDNAPPED AND SHACKLED, JUSTICE DENIED,
MILK CARTONS DON’T EVEN KNOW WE’RE ALIVE.
SLAVERY IS BACK! BLACK LIVES ARE SOLD,
ALL THE INNER CITIES ARE MANAGER CONTROLLED.

THE VIPER OF INJUSTICE, SULFUR TO THE SPARK.
TRAP LITTLE BABIES AS IT HIDES IN THE DARK.
JIM TO THE CROW, OPPRESSED ARE THE YOUNG,
BITTER TO THE TASTE IS HIS NAME TO THE TONGUE. (TONGUE)

THE GOD OF THE HEAVENS, DOESN’T KNOW THEM,
THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION DOESN’T SHOW THEM.
THE GOVERNMENT IS A RAPIST, A CRIMINAL AT LARGE,
A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE THAT HASN’T BEEN CHARGED.
This article referenced in:
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 72]
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Unite or Die

by an Indiana prisoner December 2020
This is a galvanizing poetic call 2 action,
The Soledad Comrade, George Jackson,
Once declared: “capitalism is the enemy,”
Meaning: you and me,
The common man and woman of poverty,
Are more family than enemy,
Because we are poor,
Fighting a common enemy of imperial elite capitalism,
Not 2 allude 2 the day 2 day,
Systemic Amerikkkan racism,
There’s truly no time,
For us 2 be killing and fighting each other,
When in arms together,
We are sista and brotha,
Therefore we must come together,
In a clenched fist alliance,
A peaceful defiant display,
Of unity and excellence,
Unite or die,
Is a true rallying cry,
Wherefore, we must join forces,
And overthrow the corrupt, racist, imperialist,
Capitalist Amerikkkan government,
Ergo, the clenched fist alliance,
A resolute display of resistance,
And defiance,
There’s no time 2 pray,
March and cry,
It’s either unite or die,
Truly, unity is the most dominant,
In the face of all inequality,
We are living in a truly,
Provocative span of time,
So what is it going 2 be,
Unite or die,
And commit 2 memory: “Capitalism is the enemy.”
We must unite or die.
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Police Brutality] [ULK Issue 71]
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Can We Breathe?

by Red-Ru of United Struggle from Within September 2020
george floyd qualified immunity

(Remember George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and OTHERS)

I done seen too many mothers cry, brothers die,
while the children left to wonder “Why?”
I’m on the side of the righteous in the time of crisis,
Is the prize really worth it? I tell em that its PRICELESS.
I don’t have hope, kuz hope is for the children,
and those UNABLE to take part in what we’re building.
But we’re ALL gonna benefit when we defeat the nemesis.
A new beginning for humynity, modern day Genesis.
It’s THEM that want war kuz we’re bangin on the door,
They’d rather see us breathless and layin on the floor.
But I woke up this morning to a BEAUTIFUL site.
Black, Brown, and white, its TIME TO UNITE!!!
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 74]
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AMERIKKKA The Real TERRORISTS!

by O.G. Hawk August 2020
   We hear, each and every day,
that weapons of mass destruction are on the way!

But, what we don’t hear is who is behind-the scenes,
   the ones that are holding the reins!

For control of everybody and everything,
   they pretend to be for peace, but
truly wanting to rule as World King!

 They have went to every nation, told lies, stole, raped, and said this was for freedom,
 the truth is, the pressures were applied to defeat them!

How do you help other Countries fix their lifestyle,
when over here, you cannot ensure the safety of a child?

You say one thing, but you have done another,
in reality, you have shown no love for your brother!

Like Cain, you have destroyed many, many with your deception,
still killing your brother Abel in this session!

FBI, CIA, and all of America’s comrades have hurt more people than anybody on earth
crying that democracy is what it’s worth!

How can destroying other people and their property be liberation?
I, myself, see only damnation!

We, Afrikan descent suffered the trauma of chattel slavery,
some of our precious Ancestors showed a lot of bravery!

Today, the Black Panther Party is still under attack,
lies have been told to disrupt and misdirect,
with every attempt to discredit our respect!

We have and will continue to survive,
   no matter what it’ll take,
by all means, even if it’s so powerful,
   that it makes earth shake!

Afrikan Descendants, it’s time to do our thing,
by truly freeing ourselves and letting our liberation ring!

It’s on us, to take back all that our ancestors lost,
with all our powers, no matter what ever the cost,
never let these people be called your “BOSS”!
This article referenced in:
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Police Brutality] [Racism] [ULK Issue 80]
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What is Justice?

by Forty of United Struggle from Within July 2020
What is Justice?

This is the question of our time.
It’s the struggle that people go through when they’ve been wrongfully convicted of crimes.

It’s the outrage over Black men dying and our race being marginalized by this capitalist society.
We’re targeted by fascist forces of white faces in high places who push the agenda of these racist polices.

Which perpetuates poverty and inflicts us with pain;
we’re steady searching for the sunshine but all we seem to find is the thunder and rain.

In order for there to be justice, first there needs to be a change.
To abolish the system that views a Black man as a cold-hearted killer or a member of an organized gang.

It’s a damn shame how they view our people as animals who needs to be tamed.
When they can’t even seem to control these fascist forces of pigs who really needs to be trained.

Honestly, they really need to be slain for trapping our black bodies in chains,
and for killing our brothers in the streets every day like it’s all apart of the game.

Justice is insane!
It’s a process full of heartache and pain.
It’s like the government is the Devil and we just caught in the flames.

Yankee politics are to blame for causing another Brother to be slain.
“I can’t breath! Officer please” was his claim.
So to overthrow the capitalist reign, we ain’t gone let that Brother die in vain.

What’s his name?   What’s his name?
  George Floyd!     George Floyd!

And to all the other Brothers and Sisters that we lost to this racist system.
The People have become conscious;
the revolution hasn’t quelled!

-Forty

#AllPowerToThePeople!

#LongLiveTheGuerrilla!

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