Miss Congeniality

Sundays I travel
it’s visiting day
time to see
my fair little friend
who lives in
a place of
maximum security
no chance
of parole.

Before she
arrives
I make stories up
in my head
of inmates here
on why and what
brought them
to a concrete
barbed wire home.

Young lovers
her boyfriend
her husband
who is he?
Sorry
no touching here.
Steal
your hugs and kisses
outside where
cameras
don’t reach.

When my
sweet friend
walks in
so happy and true
I wonder if others
make up stories
about us, too?

Passing guards
and inmates
all greet their hellos
to an incarcerated
Miss Congeniality
as she smiles and
holds court.

We laugh hard
we talk fast
book reviews
gossip
and films.
She loves
The New York Times
and the
Golden State Warriors.
A few fleeting hours
of conversation
and happy.

And when it’s time
to say goodbye
there is yet a time
while driving home
that I don’t think
and revel
in the fact
that I am free.

We surely do
make our own choices.
She made hers
and I’m sad
I made mine
and I’m glad.
The rule of law
does demand
accountability.

We aren’t so very different
my kind friend
and me
and I do love her so.
But the prison
wall chasm
runs deep and wide.
I’ve made a promise
oh, this one I’ll keep.
Here is one place
where I’ll never sleep.

Good bye for now
Miss Congeniality
be ever so good
and I’ll
see you
next week, yes
back in your hood.

Photo Credit: lenifuzhead Flickr via Compfight cc