Poems From Folsom Prison

These poems came from a place within a Finnish man's mind, to escape the walls of confinement. They reflect the turmoil within the prison, and to look back at the peace and tranquility of a former life. I was an "outsider," and not in the good graces of the "jailer". Therefore, the only thing I could do, was to rely on my Finnish mind. The Finnish term for survival is called "Sisu". They had my broken body, but not my mind.

This is a daily reading of poems by convict poets of the Inside Circle at Folsom Prison - edited and compiled by inmate Bernard Gordon. Forwards by Don Morrison and Rob Allbee. Intention of The Folsom Prison Daybook We believe in the healing provided by inspiration. The words in these poems and writings are representative of the ripples of inspiration on waters of hope. We pray that hearts are touched, minds are provoked, and souls will sing. These words are shared from meaningful places touched by the authors. May you find solace in the knowledge that feelings were plumbed to find the ache of these expressions.

Two inmates serving life sentences at Folsom State Prison write the poems in this book. They simply utilized the power of writing to deal with emotional turmoil in their lives, to share their stories, experiences, and to grow together as a whole. These poems are composed through prison experiences as well as the struggles they are facing. Sharing the experiences not only heals them, but also helps them grow in many aspects of life: emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. These poems are not meant to offend anyone in anyway. They are written for one purpose - to share with the world the experiences of two life-term inmates who have experienced darkness and despair in their lives. Their growth over the decades has allowed them to overcome their feelings of denial, guilt, and shame. Finally, they came to accept responsibility for the murderous crimes they committed and the ripple effects on the families of their victims, their own families, and the community.