Prison Poetry

What motivated Richard Shelton to start the poetry workshop in prisons?

• A university project requirement

• A request from a death row inmate for feedback on poems

• A government initiative

• A personal experience with incarceration

What is a key teaching focus of Richard Shelton in the poetry workshop?

• Writing about prison life

• Honest use of language

• Avoiding rhyme

• Using complex language

How does writing help inmates like Andrew Jakes?

• It provides a sense of purpose

• It helps them reduce their sentence

• It allows them to communicate with family

• It offers financial benefits

Why does Jaime Omar Mesa choose not to write about prison life?

• He believes it is too personal

• He thinks it is not a pretty world

• He is not allowed to write about it

• He wants to focus on fictional stories

What is Richard Shelton's view on knowing the crimes of his students?

• He believes it is essential for understanding them

• He uses it to tailor his teaching

• He always asks about their crimes

• He prefers not to know unless they brag about it

What has Richard Shelton learned from his experience with the inmates?

• To focus solely on academic achievements

• To judge them based on their crimes

• To respect them as individuals

• To avoid teaching in prisons

What is Richard Shelton's hope for the future of the poetry workshop?

• To find new volunteers to continue the work

• To expand it to more prisons

• To publish a book of inmate poetry

• To integrate it into the university curriculum