Something

Human kindness saved me from becoming habitually negative and black hearted.

22/2/2020

6 years on the inside

It don’t mean nothing drive on

3 and a half in maximum security

It don’t mean nothing drive on

Beaten to a pulp by a 6’4′ lifer

It don’t mean nothing drive on

Called every name possible when the block turned on me

It don’t mean nothing drive on

Seeing family through glass

It don’t mean nothing drive on

7 weeks in a forensic psych ward

It don’t mean nothing drive on

A year washing dishes in the jail kitchen

It don’t mean nothing drive on

Haven’t heard in four years from the love of my life

It don’t mean nothing drive on

And every little drop

Of human kindness shown

A compliment here and there

A considerate gesture

A little faith shown

A letter from an old friend

And the promise of better days

That means something

—

Jail is tough so all the little positives you can find you make the most of. I’ve had some truly inspirational gestures from other inmates such as when I said I wanted to write poetry another inmate got me a copy of Rudyard Kiplings poem ‘If’. All the little drips and drops of human kindness saved me from becoming habitually negative and black hearted. And yes the concept is taken from a Johnny Cash song.

It all means something drive on.