SNAP

In prison when someone snaps in an
extraordinarily shocking manner;
the perfect inmate, about to parole out,
walks into the shift office, closes the door,
tells the warden and entire staff what’s
wrong with the criminal justice
system in general and with
each of them in specific and nails
it; well, the inmate, he gets banked,
that’s no surprise
shipped immediately to Joliet.
Insanely self destructive even according
to criminal standards.
Totally unexpected. No warning.
All the other inmates amazingly jumpy
and paranoid for almost two weeks—
mental tippy toes,
no one trusts himself nor anyone else not to
screw up.
They say, ”We got a hawk on a pole.”