The World In Here

This place is seemingly unreal,
It is surreal.
A world within a world,
Real enough, I know because I'm here.

Here they use books
For door stops and
Wear OD green jackets
Against the cold inside - in august.

The windows don't open.
They have to rely upon
The window of their minds
And a library of memories.

The view outside
Through the gray bars,
The open sky and countryside
Marred by the fence and the razor wire.

They wear dinghy whites
Like the angels they aren't;
Their wings clipped by
The courts and the law.

Ice and ramen noodles
And instant coffee are hot commodities.
Cell phones with chargers are
Worth their weight in gold!

There's "us" and there's "them"
Among other attitudes and judgements.
There's a free world out there
And this world in here.

We have to use a key
To go to the toilet,
Better bring your
Own toilet paper, too.

We're subject to searches
And pat downs and other
Inconveniences all before
The work day begins.

They have more rights
Than we do and
THEY'RE supposed to be
The convicted felons!