how do i turn this
faucet off
my good friend
on death row in San Quentin
sends me a play
written by Ben
who has since been
executed
titled "My Piece
of the Sky"
which is all Ben
could see from his cell
it is "his woman"
the play is his
creative effort
that society might
see the horror of executions
and stop
writing when the
death penalty was reinstituted
in California
he writes about
Aaron Mitchell, the last
execution in California
until now...
"Mitchell broke
free from his restraints
as the cyanide
pellets had begun to release their deadly fumes...
"As he screamed
and pounded the sides of the glass wall...
"As he screamed
and pounded the sides of the glass wall...
and the play ends
with my friend hearing on the radio
California murders
his friend, Bobby Alton Harris
the faucet will
not turn off
it is broken
- Summer Breeze
when i hear the
naked truth
i’m still clothed
in my lost youth
I’m gonna cover
my ears when I crash
I’m gonna die of
cold while I burn
when I see the
pure white light
I’m caught up in
second sight
give me change
for cash
when the ship comes
in I’m engaged in sin
when the cows come
home I’m all alone
smoke and ashes
smoke and mirrors
I’m gonna go in
pieces
if I go at all
- Ken Peters
why does God yank
my chain
shake my cage
I want my ocean
front property
my water shed
this old familiar
sun
make my reservations
you can have your
brave new world
I’ll take my third
keep the chemo
give me the tropic
something to soothe
my rain
something to heal
the rage
my ocean front
property
and a sunset red
my works’ done
don’t talk preservation
everything but
the girl
and a kind word
just get in the
limo
just change the
topic
so outrageous
a strap, a stick,
a card
so courageous
but we never leave
the yard
give me my ocean
front property
I want a water
shed.
- Ken Peters
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