Bars and Shadows: The Prison Poems of Ralph Chaplin

by Ralph Chaplin

BARS AND SHADOWS

THE PRISON POEMS OF RALPH CHAPLIN

With an introduction By Scott Nearing

1922

CONTENTS

[INTRODUCTION]
[MOURN NOT THE DEAD]
[TAPS]
[NIGHT IN THE CELL HOUSE]
[PRISON SHADOWS]
[PRISON REVEILLE]
[PRISON NOCTURNE]
[THE WARRIOR WIND]
[TO FREEDOM]
[THE VISION MAKER]
[DISTANCES]
[PHANTOMS]
[SEVEN LITTLE SPARROWS]
[SALAAM!]
[THE WEST IS DEAD]
[UP FROM YOUR KNEES!]
[THE EUNUCH]
[I. W. W. PRISON SONG]
[TO FRANCE]
[VILLANELLE]
[WESLEY EVEREST]
[THE INDUSTRIAL HERETICS]
[BLOOD AND WINE]
[THE RED GUARD]
[THE RED FEAST]
[THE GIRLS WHO SANG FOR US]
[TO EDITH]
[SONG OF SEPARATION]
[TO MY LITTLE SON]
[ESCAPED!]
[RETROSPECT]

INTRODUCTION

I.

Ralph Chaplin is serving a twenty year sentence in the Federal Penitentiary, not as a punishment for any act of violence against person or property, but solely for the expression of his opinions.

Chaplin, together with a number of fellow prisoners who were sentenced at the same time, was accused of taking part in a conspiracy with intent to obstruct the prosecution of the war. To be sure the Government did not produce a single witness to show that the war had been obstructed by their activities; but it was argued that the agitation which they had carried on by means of speeches, articles, pamphlets, meetings and organizing campaigns, would quite naturally hamper the country in its war work. On the face of their indictments these men were accused of interfering with the conduct of the war; in reality they were sent to jail because they held and expressed certain beliefs.