Aug 29, 2014 2 min read

Below is a poem read by one of the inmates at Allegheny County jail at the final meeting of the Words Without Walls program for this semester.

Spiritually enlightened, intellectually elevated.

I must shine bright, be a light in the darkness, a voice of reason,

exposing the treasons of those who chose or annoyingly cast spells of the generation of degradation upon my generation, and the generations before.

It’s about color no more. Only two races exist, the rich and the poor.

The poor are the slaves, taught to bow and obey.

Instead of slaves they stay consumers, instead of whips and chains they use the media and courts to abuse us.

Bankrupting us morally, forcefully subjecting us to perversity.

Teaching us vice in the place of virtue, and vice versa.

Making the poison sweet and the antidote seem to be what hurts us.

They hypnotize, blind and divide us, teach us to focus on our adornments instead of what lies inside us.

And even worse, they use us to confuse us, so they don’t have to soil their hands.

It’s such a wonderful, horrible plan.

Enslave them all but let them believe they are free.

How can a slave rebel when he thinks all is well?”

– Chris Westbrooks Jr. (also known as Brother Umar)