the last act of defiance

the prison system

inherently unjust and inhumane

is the ultimate expression of injustice

and inhumanity in the society at large. those of us on the outside do not like

to think of wardens and guards as our surrogates

yet they are. and they are intimately locked in a deadly embrace

with their human captives behind prison walls. by extension

so are we. the terrible double meaning is thus imparted

to the original question of human ethics

am i my brother's keeper?"