by Juan Moreno Haines, San Quentin, CA I recently read something that said the average person lives 900 months. Then, I took my age 64, and multiplied it by twelve. 768. Wow. I have 132 months? Now, imagine how I might feel, having spent the last 321 months in prison. It’ll really ground you into reality. It made me think deeply about this prompt. Today, I don’t do things that I know in my heart is wrong or would bring shame upon me. I don’t have time for that. You may have way more time on this planet than I
Continue ReadingDear Staff At The Beat Within
by Eric M., Youth Facility in Rikers Island in East Elmhurst, New York It can be crazy being a teen! For today, while I was getting my haircut I felt dizzy to the point of passing out. After my haircut I could not stand so I figured I’d feel better after a shower. I placed a chair inside the shower stripped off my clothing and sat in the chair as the cool water hit me. After a bit I was a bit better, I got dressed. I was on my way to see staff out the medical station when I
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Volume 27.07/08
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 27.07/08
Welcome Beat editorial note readers to this latest double issue, 27.07/08, of writing and art from inside juvenile hall and beyond. Before you begin to flip through this one-of-a-kind issue of writing and art from our many standout contributors, we hope you will take a moment to read our editorial note. This week we are all in for a treat, as our dear friend and colleague, Alyssa, steps up to write this latest editorial note, giving OT a well-deserved break. For those of you who know Alyssa, lucky you, she is simply an amazing colleague, facilitator, and friend. We are
Continue ReadingFor My Mother
by NV, Sonoma I think maybe I need to be on ankle monitor just a little bit longerSo I can show you I’m stronger than they systemMakes me seem no matter how much you tryYou can’t keep silencing meYou can’t keep telling lies about my familyNobody knows how bad the system got for meNobody knows they had it out for meNobody knows the way that they treated meEnough about me, let’s talk about my momEveryday she gets into her broke down carTo go near and farShe gets her shhh together for meBut I again break the lawDon’t punish my mom
Continue ReadingMusic Is Therapy
by B, Sacramento One of my favorite hobbies is music! I like to write, sing, rap. It’s therapy for me. Most people write poems, write in anger. Talk about their feelings. And nine times out of ten, people hear you, give you advice, and don’t care. So I turned to my booklet, wrote my feelings down in rhymes, showed a homie, and he felt what I was speakin’ in my song. He liked it and that gave me confidence in my written music. Pretty soon the whole one tier pod was asking me to hear my “isms”, as I call
Continue ReadingTrip To Oregon
by AMJ, San Francisco It was the happiest when I got to go out of state to go skate with my homie’s. It was about three months ago, when me and my homies/family we went to Oregon to skate all different skate parks. It was I can say, the happiest time of my life. We went all over Portland/Oregon. I mean it was the best adventure. We went camping for a few days, all different camping spots. Then after that, we went to go meet my sponsor for the first time. She’s hella cool, I’m like a son to her
Continue Reading2021 = 2022
by Mackey Vesuvius, San Quentin State Prison, CA Year 2021 went by slow at first, but after the sixth month passed by it started to go by fast. 2021 was a year that I want to forget so easily for many reasons. So let me share a few of those reasons with you all! Number one is the disastrous multiple staged always changing Coronavirus, COVID-19. Delta, Omicron, and whatever else to come with this virus has intimidated the whole world. It change the whole world. I’m in San Quentin State prison environment inherently unhealthiness and how much they don’t care
Continue ReadingTo The Beat Community
by Heather Daoust, California Institution for Women in Corona, CA I noticed I always tread lightly when I write for The Beat Without. Maybe too lightly. I pop in and out with short spurts then long silence. I always digest my readers and audience. I think what screws me up is I’m near thirty and doing life in prison. I think of juvie as kids. Kids, to me, are innocent. I always wished to have a child and when I lost my unborn child it put a holy glow on the idea of any and every child. So, in a
Continue ReadingSidney Poitier’s Quote
by Mesro Coles-El, San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA “You don’t have to become something you’re not to be better than you were. A person doesn’t have to change who he is to become better.” -Sidney Poitier I admit that I did not know how true this quote was until I got myself locked up. See, I spent a lot of time trying to fit in with people I discovered did not care about me at all. Only my closest friends told me that it was okay to be by myself, but I kept on trying to fit in
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