The following work of poetry is a poem that I wrote upon becoming acquainted with men such as Siddique Abdullah Hasan, Bomani Shakur, and Gregory Curry, all of whom were wrongfully convicted of criminal offenses stemming from the infamous 1993 prison uprising at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, OH. Upon weighing the facts about their cases, which I learned through reading books, essays, and trial transcripts, I became inspired to contribute to their quest for justice. You can learn more about these political prisoners by going to lucasvilleamnesty.org.
Lucasville State of Mind by Jason Goudlock It could have been me on April 11, 1993, caught in between explosive unrest in an unjust penitentiary. All-out anarchy against debilitating inhumane prison practices, while some sat in silence and meditated on their mattresses. Uncertainty and circumstances. I would have been at the total mercy of the former and the latter. Certainly, surviving would have been all that mattered. … Well, at least back then, prior to having my entire life shattered. Because now, as Isaac Hayes once beautifully crooned, I stand accused! … Listening to the echoes of injustice inside of an unethical courtroom. Untruthful allegations, fabricated by ambitious felons. Shouldn’t this have been proof that the system was failing? Shouldn’t this have been proof of the lies that they were telling? Imagine if I had to give my life to pose such questions. I wonder would my wrongful execution be a topic during elections? Save your answers, please, because right now I am very much alive. I was just thinking about the injustice incurred by the “Lucasville Five,” as well as “Greg Curry,” and all others whom were convicted because of lies. It’s time to wake up America and grant justice where it has been denied.
Downloads: Download a PDF copy of this poem.