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

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ISSUE NO. 15

October 2025

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Poetry

Human Being

By

Matthew

Matthew writes from a prison in NSW.

Willy Pleasance

As I come back to jail

I walk through that familiar door

I promised by mum and kids

I wouldn’t break the law

Now here I am sitting

In a cell like before

4 x 4 cement walls

Bunk beds and all

It’s my birthday

I’m 35 today

Once released

I will not lead astray

I have done just over

12 years since turning eighteen

I’m sober and off the drugs

I will leave jail clean

This is my story

This is what I mean

We all make mistakes

After all I’m a human being

As I come back to jail

I walk through that familiar door

I promised by mum and kids

I wouldn’t break the law

Now here I am sitting

In a cell like before

4 x 4 cement walls

Bunk beds and all

It’s my birthday

I’m 35 today

Once released

I will not lead astray

I have done just over

12 years since turning eighteen

I’m sober and off the drugs

I will leave jail clean

This is my story

This is what I mean

We all make mistakes

After all I’m a human being

Little Rhyme

By Justin

Here’s a little rhyme. As I’m chilling doing time, paying the price for my crime.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 24

1 MIN READ

Mother

By Biannca

What did you see when you looked at me? Just a little girl, I had no voice, you kept me down without a choice. You gave heartache and pain, said I was your endless shame.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 24

2 MIN READ

One Day We Will Be Free

By Matt

They talked to us about our struggles, their words we could not hear, while being condemned and held accountable; our vision was not clear.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 24

1 MIN READ

All for One, One for All at Bandyup

By Ruth

Bandyup is a place, where we are a mixed race. It doesn’t matter where we are from, we should support each other as one.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 24

1 MIN READ