Home » Poems » Keith O.J. Hunt » The Prisoner

The Prisoner

** A protest against the hypocrisy of the death penalty and the decadent environment of the prison system where a simple thief or criminal is unleashed on society upon leaving worse than they went in**


The days are short and gentle 
   in the pillow of truth;
   gentle like rain-fallen feathers,
   yet the gallows bleed
   and the hangman smiles
   at justice unjust,
   and his lazy solution:
   that death brings life

Death, brings life
   to the children of judgment ---
   life, then death
   and prison be not cruel enough ---
   awash to the brim,
   undeterred ---- by the hangman's promise

Like a rat the prisoner awaits
   in a cell built by cruelty
   and fear ---
   that our most precious things
   be stolen by mere hands

By mere hands we have built this place;
   shackle, lock and bar,
   cold, with empty promises
   and rigid worry
   and desolate hope ---
   we esteem the prisoner shall not return,
   though his soul is filled with tears;
   and the day seeming not his friend ---
   alone, 
   the night speaks to him
   yet he knows that day will come again

Who are we to poison hope?
Who are we to celebrate the pain of another?
Is this not the very thing we punish?

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Silent One

Date: 12/17/2017 4:45:00 AM

In the proceas of posting a collab about someone of death row... like you I hold the same views... But i do have mix feelings about it ..

Keith O.J. Hunt
Date: 1/26/2018 12:35:00 PM

There are many scary people out there who deserve a good execution --- I believe many should just be put against a wall and shot, but is this is practical deterrent? Do they really think a vicious killer has the rational mind to avoid his sickness for fear of the death penalty? How many mobsters think this way? I heard it many times from people --- ' I don't care If I go to jail for this --- sure Now you don't care --- but you will when you stand before a judge. Irrational people act out on their impulses, not a sense of consequence. Here in Canada we have a council of well educated individuals who every so often decide if we need the death penalty, it is always declined because it will change nothing.

Doug Vinson

Date: 4/7/2017 5:15:00 PM

(Somewhat) in a spirit of humor, a return visit to say that the Hangman should set up by the side of the road, to attend to those who go slow in the fast lane. ; )

Doug Vinson

Date: 3/26/2017 3:45:00 PM

Keith, a 7 here from me. : ) Massively good write. Provokes much discussion, yes - I will say that the U.S. imprisons an insane amount of people with demonstrably bad effects, along with wasting billions of Dollars and untold time and resources. There are some things I would argue with you about, but they are relatively few in number and less-than-pervasive. Meanwhile, non-violent drug offenders, for a good example, go in often and often for many years....

Keith O.J. Hunt
Date: 3/26/2017 5:18:00 PM

Many thanks for your kind comments and visit Doug. The prison system is supposed to be a correctional facility, not some hellish torture chamber. When one really thinks about it those who break the laws of their country are traitors; a more cutting approach would be to stencil the word: TRAITOR on the front of prison uniforms. Maybe some would actually 'get it'.

Arlene Smith

Date: 1/20/2017 12:33:00 PM

Very powerfully expressed viewpoint my friend.. I wrestle with this one.. To be a Christian, one has to except Jesus and his new teachings where the old laws are concerned, but I can't see what we are expected to do with the unrepentant, unreformable murderers in our society. I don't believe society should be responsible for their well being.. I do respect your opinion, tho and love the way you presented it here..

Keith O.J. Hunt
Date: 1/20/2017 1:42:00 PM

There was a secret experiment done to see if 3 perfectly healthy and rational men would be affected by their environment in prison for a year; all 3 were completely changed for the worse...

Holly Bohto

Date: 1/20/2017 3:55:00 AM

I agree with my friend Brett. You're writing is quality reading material. And the Seeker should be called The Overly Opinionated Bible of Self-Righteous.... Delusional .. Hit You Over the Head... .With Thoughts of How Judgement ...Sits in Front of the Interpretation of Imperfection.....In His Humanity.

Keith O.J. Hunt
Date: 1/20/2017 6:18:00 PM

Thanks so very much Holly; many thanks to Brett as well. I think my rebuttal with a very important Commandment was suffice. One cannot serve 2 gods...