Lifer at the Chapel: Stiles Unit – TDCJ

Jesse Doiron

July 6, 2025

Hope’s for dopes,

palookas

on the ropes.

Yo-yos in

they hold hole.

Ya holy

rollers on

the front row.

That holy

spirit shit  –

it ain’t soap.

It don’t wash.

Just a joke.

Man – Y’know

ain’t no big

guy way up

in the sky

ever lift an

eye, even

never try

helpin’ – Nope!

Rev’s all revved

up today.

Red in the

face today.

Redemption

day today.

Ready for

the demon’s

hate to play.

Wanna save

my soul, he

say. Gonna

shake my sins

away, yo?

I say, he’s

wastin’ time

away, ‘cause

I be like

in the way.

Ain’t chillin’

with him in

the breezeway –

in the shade.

But he still

be jizzin’

it his way.

Ever’ day.

Anyway,

it’s Sunday –

his day, all

day, wasted,

all the way.

Well, OK

now, come on,

pray for me.

Waste away.

‘Cause I ain’t

no snowball’s

chance at all.

My homerun

hit the wall.

Ain’t nothin’

left to call.

We all done

made the fall.

There ain’t no

for no give

no ness no

way at all.

No glory.

Somabitch –

some story.

Holy shit!

Ain’t nothin’.

Damn dirty

cotton bag

uniform

no buttons.

Saggin’ on

my butt an’

cops cussin’

I’m nothin’.

22 down

and lockdown,

go ahead

on now, you

call the gate.

I’m nothin’.

So, tell the

preach in the

fancy pants –

don’t worry.

I cain’t say

ain’t sorry.

Might be good

for ya, yeh

baby? Yeh,

maybe, you!

Ain’t for me.

See, I am

to be done

‘cause here I

am, who am.

And man – I’m

dope on hope.

Jesse Doiron has worked in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia as an educator and consultant. His teaching experience ranges from English for international business at the UC – Berkeley Extension in San Francisco to creative writing at the Mark Stiles Maximum Security Prison for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.