By Adam Griego and Larry Mendoza 

Editor’s note: This poem was presented at End Mass Incarceration Day during the New Mexico Legislative Session by Adam Griego, who was formerly incarcerated, at the Roundhouse. Larry Mendoza whose father was the last guard released in the 1980 New Mexico State Penitentiary riot. The poem discusses the healing influence of Barron Jones, former ACLU staffer who passed away last May. 

In shadows deep where silence dwells,   

A whisper grows, the heart compels,   

From corners dark, where dreams seem lost,   

A fire ignites, no matter the cost.   

The ACLU, a beacon bright,   

Embraced my truth, ignited my fight,   

With arms wide open, they took me in,   

A sanctuary found, my voice could begin.   

Polarized stories, raw and real,   

Unveiling the wounds that time can't heal,   

Under Barron's guidance, wisdom flowed,   

A fellowship forged, a path to sow.   

Though he has journeyed beyond our sight,   

His spirit lingers, a guiding light,   

In every story, every tear,   

I carry his essence, I hold it near.   

For people I love, I stand in the fray,   

Not for power, but to show a way,   

With open hearts, we’ll make a stand,   

In non-political truth, we’ll join hand in hand.   

Nora’s kindness paved my path,   

Her belief in me ignited my wrath,   

To fight for the lost, the broken, the meek,   

To give them a voice, to speak what they seek.   

We need trauma care, a healing embrace,   

To mend the divides, to honor each face,   

For incarceration’s roots run deep and wide,   

We must bring the issues to light, not hide.   

Oh, lift the veil that keeps us bound,   

In every lost soul, a purpose is found,   

Together we rise, with faith as our guide,   

In the name of love, we’ll turn the tide.   

The lord is my strength, my heavenly grace,   

In every struggle, I seek your face,   

Through you, I flourish, through you, I stand,   

In the midst of the storm, you hold my hand.   

So here I declare, with passion ablaze,   

To free lost souls in a life of praise,   

In every heart, let the spark be ignited,   

For giving a voice is where hope is sighted.   

Together we’ll journey, together we’ll soar,   

For every silenced story deserves to roar,   

In unity’s power, our spirits entwined,   

We’ll lift up the voiceless, the lost, and the blind.