As I sit here on the bus, on this rainy rainy morning,writing a song of you, dear Texas, and writing a song
of you, also, my darling Standing Deer,
I wish, to you Lone Texas Star, I could
Sing a song, a simple song or melody that would
Be the end of TDCJ prison threats on my husband, Standing Deer's life,
And the lives of others similarly incarcerated.
For not too long ago my Deer stood up alone, and
said something akin to this: Here in this State of
sprawling prison hills and Walls, there exists
Chambers within, where even the bravest of you all
Would not go, and yet TDCJ officials have seen to
Design and slate 5000 Texas men for these units
of High Security "control," and furthernmore, chosen to
keep it hidden from you all, in the event that a few of you
might object to psychological torture, and kick up a little
dust by giving a damn.
There are whole prison yards where ne'er a flower will
Grow as the pain within obscures the sun, produces
drought, and chases every pollinating bee to the distance.
Standing Deer, the man in my life, sought to bring the
issue of these High Security units of "control" into the
public domain as a Huntville "guest writer" to a newspaper.
For this he found himself solitarily housed, deprived of
medication and food, deprived of even newspaper staff fee!
The prison said: Damn your heart! Damn your liver!
Damn everything else about you, just disappear!
The newspaper said: Who are you??!!
And so:
When Mr. Koppel of "Nightline" came to town to
Looksee and "play" with these units, Standing Deer was
nowhere to be found, having baeen whisked away
In the dead of night or day.
Ted Koppel said You all asked for that Estelle High Security
"control unit" and your seven more units to come.
I don't remember anyone asking my uncle in El Paso,
if he wanted to be a party to male (and perhaps female) mind
tricks and torture, as an alternative to colored TV, basketball,
schooling, and yes, body building weights. Did somebody ask
"little" Johnny of San Antonio? He says no, also.
Were you asked Austin, Houston, Baytown, about these eight
Hidden mind destroying death chambers you'll be infamous for?
Yes, dear Texans, you will have men, 5000 strong,
Who will awaken each morning for the sole purpose of
Continuing to go out of their heads, until night falls and
Gently or violently exit them off to sleep, to begin again
In madness in the morrow,
plum loco.
Would you like to trade places with these men, Dear Texans,
never knowing what is and what is not?
Who is and who is not?
There will be a minimum of men, 5000 strong, with minds
Turned inside out, climbing the walls within your Lone Star state,
unless You say, No, No, TDCJ, this will not play
here in Texas today!
- The companion piece to the serious din
my fellow started. Finished el
dia de los Padres 1998 -