A story by Jim Woessner

His prison was heavily built with steel doors and iron windows. One day, after a lifetime inside, he managed to crack open a window. Poems flowed in and something mysterious flowed out, although he had no idea what it was. Later he managed to set a door ajar, and more poems flowed in. And again something mysterious flowed out. It became like a house breathing, in and out, in and out. Until one day, when his cell was filled to overflowing with poems, he discovered that none of the doors or windows were locked, and he was free to leave.

This work was featured in our fall/winter 2020 issue.