Never Let the Monster Inside Take Control
A drawing from inside.
This section publishes creative contributions mostly from currently and formerly incarcerated people. It includes short-stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, and much more.
If you have something creative to submit to us, we would love to read it, or see it, and publish it in About Time – please write to us!

A drawing from inside.
Cold blows the wind tonight, sweetheart, cold are the drops of rain, cold are the four walls of my cell, so cold I shall remain.
These “emotions” that carry me. It’s from these that you see me. Let not what you see, be all I can be. I’m so much more, this isn’t all.
A girl trying to find her soul, an escape with rope and toe up a tree, a knot a swing.
No mail, no bail, just jail. Hail and rain, rain and suffering, silently ingrained.
Shout out to all you maintenance workers, from painting to plumbing, youse know you’re the reasons these places don’t collapse in on us!
It's about time, I outline, the walls we're within. No doubts fly, no routes fine, the way I'm living.

There is a kind of peace that comes with routine. A familiarity that numbs you to the monotony of everyday life.

To me it means hard work and rough times, you have to work for what you want and there will always be barriers and things/people trying to bring you down.

Most of the day in school I would spend in art as my teacher Mrs Crawford was the only one that seemed to understand me and get my ADHD. She made me feel equal.

Alone in a world of darkness and pain. The world there outside, I don't see the rain. Is the sun shining brightly? I really don't know. There's no place to turn and nowhere to go.

Icy fingers clawed the nape of the old man’s neck as swirling wind whipped up dust and debris into Jack’s tired weathered face.

I see the pain in your lost eyes, and see, all your life ends in cries.

My whispers every night never reached you it seems. Now I only see you in my vivid dreams.

Whether it's going up or down or just round and around I cannot figure it anymore.

Now in its 14th year, ‘Artists with Conviction’ is an exhibition of art and writing by people at the Risdon facilities as well as people on parole in Tasmania.


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