by Richard Gross

1) Harsh is how the Commonwealth reacts 2) Cruel punishment Life w/out Parole  

3) Will not let us live, cannot let us die 4) Exist on basic cable and ramen noodle  

5) Long boring wait for the reaper grim 6) Pauper’s grave under Prosecutor’s grin  

7) So I saw it before reinvention 8) Drug recovery, self-inventory discovery 9) Rebirth,  

return of residual morality 10) Must be a purpose in here somewhere 11) Never too late  

to come back to light 12) We are not evil we just need help 13) Life is about learning  

from each other 14) Rehabilitation don’t repair harm 15) Maybe it makes people  

redeemable 16) A right to hope, apply for re-entry 17) Reform justice, restore people 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Gross was born 1966 in York County, Pennsylvania. He worked dead end jobs and smoked pot until coming to jail in 2002. Since then, he’s developed talents as an artist and a writer. He is currently enrolled in Villanova University and is seeking commutation of his life sentence. 

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