"...before I die here"

Yes, it is true that I have never visited
any part of their beautiful land

There is an ineffable thing inside of me,
of it, they helped me take command

They are refreshingly intuitive people
at once countrified and urbane

Humane, genuine and unpretentious, free
of jaded little socialized games

Bestowing their welcomed presence upon
me without self-righteous disdain

All helped me win the bloody war against
my bad past criminalities' stains

Make no mistake, with mounting flaws
and all, I still love America

However, the people I describe in the
lines above live in Australia



Brandon Astor Jones
11 June 2006


This less than brilliant poem is my way of saying thank you to Australians who have kindly entered my life. They cause me to want to expand my number of Australian friends.

To those readers who are interested, I herewith extend the offer of friendly exchanges via correspondence. I will answer all letters.

I genuinely want to know how you see, think, and feel about this world we are privileged to share. Please feel free to broach any subject with candor. There will be no taboos.

Let me be clear: I do not care what your ethnic background is, nor do I care how old, young, rich, or poor you are; moreover, I will make no judgements about your political or lifestyle choices.

I am an African American man who has spent the last 26 of my 63 years on death row in America. I hope that you and I will take advantage of every opportunity that our correspondence will afford that we may learn and grow communicatively in ways that enhance- rather than reject- the humanity in each of us before I die here.


Brandon Astor Jones
G3-73; EF-122216; UNO400574
Georgia Diagnostic Classification Prison
P O Box 3877
Jackson, Georgia 30233
USA