Poems by Allison Carroll

The Prisoner

We put a trash bag over his head.
He’s a more acceptable punching bag
when he doesn’t have a face.
We listened to the crinkling of plastic
as it came in contact with our feet. 
Then we brought in the dogs,
and laughed as we heard his screams.

Now, he is standing,
his ropes of arms hanging,
and his limp head drooping below
the metal rail.

And then we make our message. 
Pin up the American flag.
Get in front of him.
Turn around.
Smile for the camera. 

Playtime

The soldiers of El Salvador
are among the best in the world.
Even now our country
has such a violent
rebellion on its hands,
and red communists
are trying to oust the government.
Still, our military is well trained,
efficient, and honorable.
They work only with
the people’s interests at heart.

They are also kind to the civilians.
Why, just look over there,
the soldiers playing
with that peasant. See them
swinging him up and down
by his twitching arms and legs,
and now they are throwing him
into the air, and now
they are catching him
with their bayonets. 

Allison Carroll’s had her poem Light published, which was about her visual disability. Carroll's second publication was her creative nonfiction piece, which focuses on the night Carroll was abused. Her third publication was her poem, Bucha, about the city in Ukraine.When Russia attacked the city, many mass graves appeared. Most of her poetry is about violence, war crimes, governmental repression, conspiracies, and injustice.