A Never Ending Sentence

As a child in foster care at 12 years old, I began writing poems. I continued this into my juvenile hall years. I wrote many. I use writing as a form of therapy and expression. Here in prison, when someone makes me really mad, I'll write a song about them to get it off my chest. Would it surprise you to know that I used to Rap? I outgrew it. Now my therapy is talking to all of you each week!

I learned to paint in 2007 in an art class at the now closed Valley State Prison for Women. Never did any art or craft before then. Prison brings out things you would never have discovered any other way.

So, I'm sharing a couple of my paintings with you. The originals are still here with me. Also, here is one of my favorite poems. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

XOXO Amber

P.S. If you pray, please keep me in your prayers!

"A Never Ending Sentence"

As I sit in my cell

I feel so alone

I cry out for help

Nobody knows

I repeatedly reach out

Without a Reply

No one looks at my face

Or sees the tears in my eyes

This pain that I feel

Is too much to bear

I look around for comfort

Nobody there...

Nowhere to turn to

Inside the pain is ENDLESS

Now it seems I'm serving

"A NEVER ENDING SENTENCE..."

COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS

can be directed to

Amber S. Jackson #X15530

Mail: California Institution for Women

16756 Chino-Corona Road

Corona, CA 92880

OR email@Jpay.com

Editor Note: Ms. Jackson wrote to us from C.I.W. asking if she could write a regular weekly column about life in prison. After growing up in foster homes, she entered prison at age 20 when she disfigured someone. She spent the next 16 years in prison, where she now awaits a parole that may not be for another 4 years. "I want to make people think," Jackson wrote us. "When it comes to foster kids, most of them end up in prison at some point! Yes! Now, that is no excuse...I own every mistake I've made. I'd just like to share my story and how I made it to this point."