Etheridge Knight published some of his poetry books while still in prison at Indiana State Prison. His poems focus on the struggles of characters victimized due to their race. Knight speaks of oppression faced by black people due to socio-political injustices. The narratives detail tussles and misfortunes in the prison setting. In the poem, “For Freckle-Faced Gerald,” Knight tells a story of Gerald, a 16-year old African-American boy who is raped in prison. The circumstances under which Gerald was raped could have been avoided. However, being a black person, he was denied justice by authorities. Gerald was confined with a white boy who was always protected by wardens.
“He Sees through Stone” is another poem featuring a convict who endures hardships despite the obstacles he experiences. Knight describes the character as a person who stayed in prison so long that he mastered every tactic used by prison officials. The convict was an experienced prisoner who knows every secret applied by perpetrators. In the poem, “A Fable,” Knight tells a story of seven men and women who were jailed based on their race. Knight describes a prison system that is so prejudiced that people are imprisoned based on their skin color and not their delinquencies.
Among Knight’s poems is “Feeling Fucked Up.” The narrator in this poem feels bored by everything. The only woman in his life has deserted him. The woman seems to have gotten tired of living with a drug addict. His wife has left him heartbroken, thus, ranting to everything. In yet another poem, “Cell Song,” Knight displays his emotional anger about life. He seems to be in low spirits. In this poem, Knight feels alienated and isolated. However, he wants to restore his happiness back.
“The Idea of Ancestry” is another poem by Knight, where he talks about his family members. He talks about the connection he has with them. At some point, he says ‘they are farmers,’ and he is a burglar to indicate that he has done wrong. In this poem, Knight also shows love for women by outlining his relationship with his niece. Knight also reminisces memories of good times with his family members. In his poems, Etheridge Knight seems to be fighting against injustices subjected to people based on their race and social class status.
