-Raymond White Jr, Corcoran State Prison in Corcoran, CA
I would want to be remembered for many things
At the end of life’s chapter
But time of future partly divides us
For now, and when I pass away many
Years that my eyes have yet to perceive
I would just love to imagine the beauty through life’s mystery
Where the signature move of Michael Jackson’s
Moonwalk will gracefully slide like ice
Across the moon’s landscape
Outside in space where the sparkling
Stars burn silent, I want to hear
His song “Human Nature” plays in
Spiritual tune, his astounding voice telling
Me, Why? Why? And then I say by
Reply, Michael, it’s just “Human Nature”
Melodies echoing through the twilights
Radiating through the tillers into the
Earth where 2Pac’s verses intercept
“Human Nature” preaches rhythmic
Tone to change black poverty and drug
Infested cities to progress and transition
To the root of human healing, to wake up
And gain ambition, to not settle for less
But the best of what life can offer
I want my first high school Old Navy
Sweater, blue soft cotton quality hook
Over my torso — a fourteen-year-old
Boy’s favorite sweater, I still comfortably
Remember, all those traditional Thanksgiving
Dinners, eating turkey, dressing, potato salad
Ham, yams, just enjoying the holidays
With the family, or how about the
Poetic works of the beautiful crafted
Free verse pioneer, king Walt Whitman’s
Symmetrically spitting into the soulful depths
Of humanity’s earthly attributes
His profound voice by natures visual images
Of suffering singing flesh plundering across
The green landscapes, where a mortals journey
Is an open mystery through
Life’s beauty and adversity, or how about
Watching WWE live! Watching my favorite
wrestler “The Rock” plant “The Peoples
Elbow” into the challenger’s inner arm
I still remember his amazing image
Like it was yesterday, when a little boy
Dreamed of someday being almost equal
To his amazing stature
But most importantly, today! I represent
A differently improved man, that is
No longer lost in the trenches of grief
And pain’s failure, but a man that has
Uplifted his weakened state, indicating
Great progression from poetic ambition
To uprise my metrical voice to freedom
With justice and liberty avocation
In declaration to allow my poetry to
Resonate into the heavens in loose spirit
Above the diamond horizons where the gods
Work miracles with mystery
I want to be able to flutter my silver
Wings into the deepest sky and God, all the
White forest of faith that has given me
Life’s change for redemption, my heart’s
Beating significance to never stray
Away from one’s divine purpose
For the notice is human nature
Subsides inside the soulful depths of all of
Us, and a hundred years from now this time
Capsule will release all these wonderful
Beautiful things for life is but a transitory
Dream and I want each of these things
To forever become a part of me
Spiritually my soul floating like a
Silent beautiful bird’s feather
Immutable forever, and all these
Memories I envision will reappear ahead
Of time in the soul of mind like it
Was yesterday