Cold Hard Times
By Jackie RUzas
If I could sing a love song
That would reach you in the night
It would stroke the tissue of your heart
And bring you to my side.
If I could write sweet poetry
So the whole wide world could see
How the love light shining in your eyes
Reflects on only me.
But I’ve been doing cold hard time
And the stars I never see
And this prison cell don’t treat me well
Or bring your love to me
(Repeat replace “But” with “Yes”)
That night you begged me not to go
But I hit the outlaw road
For the hi-jack of that laptop rig
Then a fence to dump the load.
Come each lonely night I’d close my eyes
And you’d suddenly appear
In the court room of that dusty town
You’d smile and wipe a tear.
It’s then I’d feel this cold hard time
Blocking stars I used to see
And the hell inside this prison cell
That kept your love from me.
(Repeat and add “Yeah” before “It’s”)
Years were followed by more years
And three decades marked my time
Politicians used me as a pawn
No parole befit my crime.
So I learned the ins and outs of law
And a pen became my sword
With the power of the written word
Plus a blessing from the Lord.
I began to conquer cold hard time
And each night more stars I’d see,
With your precious love and the Lord above
In my cell I still felt free
(Repeat)
I know that I’ll be coming home
When the state says time is up
And I’ll take you in my anxious arms
And I’ll fill your loving cup
Together we’ll lie side by side
And I’ll promise not to roam
And no sassy eyes with honey lies
Will keep me from our home.
‘Cause I’ll remember cold hard times
When the stars all hid from me
And that prison cell that gave me hell
And kept your love from me.
(Repeat)
That would reach you in the night
It would stroke the tissue of your heart
And bring you to my side.
If I could write sweet poetry
So the whole wide world could see
How the love light shining in your eyes
Reflects on only me.
But I’ve been doing cold hard time
And the stars I never see
And this prison cell don’t treat me well
Or bring your love to me
(Repeat replace “But” with “Yes”)
That night you begged me not to go
But I hit the outlaw road
For the hi-jack of that laptop rig
Then a fence to dump the load.
Come each lonely night I’d close my eyes
And you’d suddenly appear
In the court room of that dusty town
You’d smile and wipe a tear.
It’s then I’d feel this cold hard time
Blocking stars I used to see
And the hell inside this prison cell
That kept your love from me.
(Repeat and add “Yeah” before “It’s”)
Years were followed by more years
And three decades marked my time
Politicians used me as a pawn
No parole befit my crime.
So I learned the ins and outs of law
And a pen became my sword
With the power of the written word
Plus a blessing from the Lord.
I began to conquer cold hard time
And each night more stars I’d see,
With your precious love and the Lord above
In my cell I still felt free
(Repeat)
I know that I’ll be coming home
When the state says time is up
And I’ll take you in my anxious arms
And I’ll fill your loving cup
Together we’ll lie side by side
And I’ll promise not to roam
And no sassy eyes with honey lies
Will keep me from our home.
‘Cause I’ll remember cold hard times
When the stars all hid from me
And that prison cell that gave me hell
And kept your love from me.
(Repeat)
While Jackie Ruzas was in prison he married a woman who had been in love with him since her teens. This poem exemplifies someone transitioning throughout the stages of grief. In the beginning he describes the cold hard times of being in a lonely cell and not being able to see the stars or feel the love of his wife. The poem then transitions into feelings of anger and frustrated with politicians playing him like a pawn in chest game and denying him parole.
After accepting that he will be in prison indefinitely he turns to writing and the lord to conquer the cold hard time. He begins to start seeing more stars each night and begins to feel free in his cell. He will patiently wait until the State says his time is up and he can go home, yet he will always remember the time when he didn't see any stars.
After accepting that he will be in prison indefinitely he turns to writing and the lord to conquer the cold hard time. He begins to start seeing more stars each night and begins to feel free in his cell. He will patiently wait until the State says his time is up and he can go home, yet he will always remember the time when he didn't see any stars.