Welcome to About Time

About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

Your browser window currently does not have enough height, or is zoomed in too far to view our website content correctly. Once the window reaches the minimum required height or zoom percentage, the content will display automatically.

Alternatively, you can learn more via the links below.

Donations via GiveNow

Email

Instagram

LinkedIn

Donate Here

Poetry

Christmas Day in Prison

By

Joshua

Joshua was formerly incarcerated in a prison in VIC.

Freestocks via Unsplash

Christmas day without my family

Was such a terrible burden to bare

No Christmas tree, decorations, no presents

No laughter, no joy, no Christmas fare

No sounds of excited children

Running from their room

To see what’s under that special tree

Was a feeling of shattering gloom

My first Christmas without my family

A torrent of tears, roll down my face

A broken, soul-destroying feeling

That has taken me to a different place

I think of the joyful moments

We all shared on Christmas morn

Looks of delight on the children’s faces

As the ribbons and paper are torn

My heart lies empty and shattered

And my body trembles in pain

Emotions of complete desolation

Next year it will haunt me again

Christmas day without my family

Was such a terrible burden to bare

No Christmas tree, decorations, no presents

No laughter, no joy, no Christmas fare

No sounds of excited children

Running from their room

To see what’s under that special tree

Was a feeling of shattering gloom

My first Christmas without my family

A torrent of tears, roll down my face

A broken, soul-destroying feeling

That has taken me to a different place

I think of the joyful moments

We all shared on Christmas morn

Looks of delight on the children’s faces

As the ribbons and paper are torn

My heart lies empty and shattered

And my body trembles in pain

Emotions of complete desolation

Next year it will haunt me again

This
piece
was originally printed in the
December 2025
edition of About Time.
By Daniel

I wrote this song when I started my sentence in June 2026.

ISSUE NO. 26
3 MIN READ
By Leonor

Somebody’s Daughter Theatre offers women within the prison system in Victoria, the opportunity to participate in weekly art workshops.

ISSUE NO. 26
2 MIN READ
By Martin

I’m a rapper and I thought I’d share one of the songs I’ve written.

ISSUE NO. 26
3 MIN READ
By Martin

I felt compelled to contribute so here follows a few submissions for your consideration.

ISSUE NO. 26
1 MIN READ
Get All the Latest News From About Time in Your Inbox

Be the first to read each edition online and receive two newsletters each month filled with news stories, experiences, creativity and the voices of people in prison around the country.

X

X

You've successfully registered!
Something went wrong when we tried to register your details. Please try again.