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About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

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ISSUE NO. 21

April 2026

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Poetry

Apocalypse of the Mind

By

Emma-lee

Emma-lee writes from a prison in QLD.

Akram Huseyn via Unsplash

I sit here watching the second-hand ticking by

as it slowly keeps passing my time...

And just as I thought the world can’t be changed it an apocalypse of the mind,

Like a spark causes a flame, then a light will ignite,

Then suddenly I’m pulling a ton of stress with me,

Seems these days all I’m trying to do is get people to help me to forgive myself,

Now I should have seen the signs it’s an apocalypse of the mind,

And don’t have me mistaken I would have pressed rewind if I could,

But it seemed fast forward was just as good.

And don’t have me misunderstood I would’ve pressed stop if I could,

I’m so sick of being sick,

So sick of doing shit wrong,

Seems like the best end is a brand-new beginning,

The opposite to a life full of loss, is a brand-new life full of winning,

Cognition destroyed and re-designed it’s an Apocalypse of the mind,

Every breath a blessing,

Every step a gift,

Seems these day’s people forgetting how precious life really is,

Now I could sit back and say I’ve had it rough,

But really it’s 2 in 3 that have it tough,

You can sit there and deny,

But I’ll walk through life with my head held high,

Time to stand up and identify,

I was always too nice,

Didn’t think I could suffice,

No more listening to bad advice,

Gotta step up in life,

Become a mother and a wife,

Put a footprint on this reality,

Make for a better society,

Because seeing that smile embraced on his face,

Is all I need to rid my mind of the world’s disgrace,

No point in me sitting back and having a cry,

About all the things in life I cannot rectify,

So sick of being sick,

So sick of doing shit wrong,

Sometimes the best end is a brand-new beginning,

The opposite to a world full of loss,

Is a world full of winning,

Cognition destroyed and re-designed,

It’s an apocalypse of the mind,

So no matter what I might know,

No matter what I might say,

I’m just a matter of words,

In a matter of thoughts,

So prepare to have your mind blown.

I sit here watching the second-hand ticking by

as it slowly keeps passing my time...

And just as I thought the world can’t be changed it an apocalypse of the mind,

Like a spark causes a flame, then a light will ignite,

Then suddenly I’m pulling a ton of stress with me,

Seems these days all I’m trying to do is get people to help me to forgive myself,

Now I should have seen the signs it’s an apocalypse of the mind,

And don’t have me mistaken I would have pressed rewind if I could,

But it seemed fast forward was just as good.

And don’t have me misunderstood I would’ve pressed stop if I could,

I’m so sick of being sick,

So sick of doing shit wrong,

Seems like the best end is a brand-new beginning,

The opposite to a life full of loss, is a brand-new life full of winning,

Cognition destroyed and re-designed it’s an Apocalypse of the mind,

Every breath a blessing,

Every step a gift,

Seems these day’s people forgetting how precious life really is,

Now I could sit back and say I’ve had it rough,

But really it’s 2 in 3 that have it tough,

You can sit there and deny,

But I’ll walk through life with my head held high,

Time to stand up and identify,

I was always too nice,

Didn’t think I could suffice,

No more listening to bad advice,

Gotta step up in life,

Become a mother and a wife,

Put a footprint on this reality,

Make for a better society,

Because seeing that smile embraced on his face,

Is all I need to rid my mind of the world’s disgrace,

No point in me sitting back and having a cry,

About all the things in life I cannot rectify,

So sick of being sick,

So sick of doing shit wrong,

Sometimes the best end is a brand-new beginning,

The opposite to a world full of loss,

Is a world full of winning,

Cognition destroyed and re-designed,

It’s an apocalypse of the mind,

So no matter what I might know,

No matter what I might say,

I’m just a matter of words,

In a matter of thoughts,

So prepare to have your mind blown.

Falling Like Angels

By Daniel

The pain that I feel, this place that I’m in, these four walls closing in…

Creative

ISSUE NO. 23

2 MIN READ

As This Time Comes to an End

By Punkin

As this time comes to an end, I wonder which way the next will bend. The earth and moon will do their thing, I’ll embrace everything.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 23

2 MIN READ

‘God, I Am Deeply Sorry’: A Poem for the Prisoners We’ve Lost

By Triste

To all the prisoners who have ever spent time away from the ones they love.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 23

1 MIN READ

‘Tingers’ and the Squirrel Box

By Sara

In Creative Learning we get to see some amazing stuff made by talented people. The best part is hearing the stories behind how creative projects have come to life.

Creative

ISSUE NO. 23

2 MIN READ

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