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 to 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
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. I will make no judgements about your political or lifestyle choices. The only criterion I now restrict is gender: I ask for only female correspondents, as I have a big imbalance between men and women in the people who write to me.
I am an African American man who has spent the last 31 of my 66 years on death row in America. I hope that you and I will take advantage of every opportunity that our correspondence will afford us to learn and grow communicatively in ways that enhance – rather than reject – our shared humanity before I die here.
Mr Brandon Astor Jones, G3-83
UNO #400574; (Group #1)
Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison
P. O. Box 3877
Jackson, Georgia 30233
USA
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