George T. Wilkerson is an award-winning poet, artist, and writer on North Carolina’s Death Row. Because prisoners are not allowed to host their own websites, I want to give him a page on mine.
I met George in early 2021 after reading Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row. Tessie Castillo, editor of the book, hosted a book club where readers could speak with each of the coauthors. I learned that George was a fellow poet (a damn good one, too), so I sent a letter asking for feedback. Pretty soon, we had a regular correspondence, sharing feedback on poetry and learning about each other’s lives.
George is admirable for both his craft and his dedication to his craft. But he’s not just a talented poet; he’s an excellent public speaker, writer, editor, and artist — not to mention a downright thoughtful, friendly person. As a Christian, he’s committed to injecting LOVE into all aspects of his life and his relationships.
Books
- Bone Orchard: Further Reflections on Life under Sentence of Death (essays & poems), co-authored with Robert Johnson and Kat Bodrie, BleakHouse Publishing, Mar. 2025
- Digging Deep: Writing for Self-Discovery, Healing, & Wellness, Human Kindness Foundation, Feb. 2025 (available to prisoners on Edovo)
- Beneath Our Numbers, co-authored with many others, Walk In Those Shoes, Dec. 3, 2022
- Inside: Voices from Death Row (essays & poems), co-authored with Terry Robinson, Michael J. Braxton, and Lyle C. May, Scuppernong Editions, Sept. 2022
- Bone Orchard: Reflections on Life under Sentence of Death (essays & poems), co-authored with Robert Johnson, BleakHouse Publishing, June 2022
- Interface (poems), BleakHouse Publishing, Apr. 2022
- Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row (essays), co-authored with Terry Robinson, Michael J. Braxton, and Lyle C. May, Black Rose Writing, 2020 (out of print)
SPEAKING
- “Using Metaphor to Express Emotion,” workshop co-led with Kat Bodrie, NC Poetry Society, Sept. 29, 2022
- “Their Own Words: The Impact of the Death Penalty in America,” Duke University School of Law, Feb. 10, 2022
- The Psychology of Entrepreneurship, Mar. 4, 2021
- “Living Joyfully on Death Row: Cultivating Self and Other Empathy, with George,” In Kind, Nov. 26, 2020
- The Hot Mic, Oct. 21, 2020
- Lions of Liberty, Oct. 9, 2020
- Dr. D’s Social Network, Aug. 18, 2020
- Longform, July 1, 2020
- PEN America’s Works of Justice Podcast, June 23, 2020
- The Sober Experiment Podcast, Apr. 25, 2020
- The Social Exchange Podcast, Apr. 8, 2020
- “INTERFACE: Beth Browne Interviews Poet, Activist, Inmate George T. Wilkerson,” Main Street Rag, Summer 2019
- Interview with Leroy Elwood Mann, Lethal Injection and Word to the Masses, 2015
Poems
Publications
- “a small price to pay” and “letter for pops,” Litmosphere (forthcoming)
- “10 Things I Love,” Walk In Those Shoes, Aug. 6, 2022
- “Active Rest,” i am climbing the stairs that i create with these words all the way to the top, PEN America, June 2022
- “visit w/ an/Other,” Walk In Those Shoes, Mar. 13, 2022
- “Fat Brown Quarters,” Walk In Those Shoes, Dec. 11, 2021
- “The Dead Man’s Zone,” Walk in Those Shoes, July 19, 2021
- “Rations for Refugees,” Greater Constellations, PEN America, June 2021
- “The Mushroom,” Walk In Those Shoes, Mar. 27, 2021
- “Section Eight,” Poetry, Feb. 2021
- “Court Kings & Flight Lessons,” Visiting the Blues: 2021 Prison Writing Awards Anthology, PEN America, 2021
- Right Here, Right Now: Life Stories from America’s Death Row, ed. by Lynden Harris, 2021 (published anonymously)
- “The Knowledge of Good and Evil,” Walk In Those Shoes, Dec. 18, 2020
- “Breaking News,” Walk In Those Shoes, Dec. 1, 2020
- “Catch-22,” Prime 53 Poem Summer Challenge, Prime Number Magazine, Issue 181, Oct.-Dec. 2020
- “Space-Time Continuum,” Bayou Magazine, Fall 2020
- “Talking to My Mom in Autumn,” The Prison Journalism Project, Nov. 13, 2020
- “And Then the Pandemic Began,” The Prison Journalism Project, Aug. 17, 2020
- “In Prison during COVID-19,” The Prison Journalism Project, Aug. 13, 2020
- “The Knowledge of Good and Evil,” St. Anthony Messenger, May 2020
- “Kenny, a Mosaic,” Walk In Those Shoes, Mar. 6, 2020
- “Space-Time Continuum” and “At the Zoo,” Main Street Rag, Summer 2019
- various audio poems, Life Lines Collective, 2016 – 2018
- Some pieces published in Compassion newsletter
Awards
- Interface, Victor Hassine Memorial Scholarship Award, 2021
- “Court Kings and Flight Lessons,” first place, poetry, PEN America, 2021
- “Talking to My Mom in Autumn,” Story of the Week, Prison Journalism Project, 2021 and 2020
- “Catch-22,” Press 53’s Prime 53 Poem Summer Challenge, 2020
- “The Knowledge of Good and Evil,” third place, Walk in Those Shoes writing contest, 2020
- Interface, finalist for Press 53’s Poetry Book Contest, 2019
- Interface, finalist for Cathy Smith Bowers Chapbook Contest, 2018
- “Carpe Diem” and “The Blacksmith,” 1st prize and 2nd prize winners, LifeLines Poetry Competition, 2015
- “At the Zoo,” 1st prize, LifeLines Poetry Competition, 2014
Essays
Publications
- “Tents,” Walk In Those Shoes, Mar. 10, 2025
- “Sinking into Earth,” Walk In Those Shoes, Aug. 3, 2024
- Readers Write: Uniforms, The Sun, June 2024
- Readers Write: Taste, The Sun, May 2024
- “Enjoy the Ride,” Walk In Those Shoes, May 19, 2023
- “I, Lazarus,” Vera Institute, The Human Toll of Jail, Jan. 2023
- “Getting Out,” Walk In Those Shoes, Dec. 4, 2022
- “The Death Row Question,” BleakHouse Publishing, 2021
- Right Here, Right Now: Life Stories from America’s Death Row, ed. by Lynden Harris, 2021 (published anonymously)
- “Vacant Lots and Aviaries,” Visiting the Blues: 2021 Prison Writing Awards Anthology, PEN America, 2021
- “Six Cubic Feet,” Walk In Those Shoes, Nov. 8, 2020
- “Transcience,” Walk In Those Shoes, Aug. 5, 2020
- “Coleridge’s Middle Finger,” Walk In Those Shoes, Apr. 5, 2020
- “Missed Amends,” The Fix, Mar. 17, 2020
- “The Joy Paradox,” In Kind, Nov. 26, 2020
- Readers Write: Worship, The Sun, Issue 526, Oct. 2019 (published anonymously)
- “The Mechanics of Miracles,” The Wing, Aug. 2019
- “Limp Gray Fur,” The Named and the Nameless: 2018 Prison Writing Awards Anthology, 2018
- “Limp Gray Fur,” PEN America, Aug. 6, 2018
- “It’s Surprisingly Tough to Avoid Snitching in Prison,” The Marshall Project, July 19, 2018 (published as “The Brutal Politics of Snitching in Prison” on Vice, July 20, 2018)
- “Death Row’s First Ever Talent Show,” The Marshall Project, Mar. 22, 2018 (published as “I Watched a Talent Show on Death Row” on Vice, Mar. 23, 2018)
- “The Implications of Trying to Kill Yourself on Death Row,” The Marshall Project, Jan. 26, 2017 (published on Vice, Jan. 27, 2017)
- “How a Phone Changed my Life on Death Row,” The Marshall Project, Oct. 6, 2016
- Editorials published in Compassion newsletter, 2014-present
The Upper Room Devotionals
- “Giants in the Land,” Feb. 21, 2023
- “Inspiring Kindness,” Nov. 29, 2022
- “Unmerited Favor,” Dec. 3, 2019
- “True Gratitude,” Oct. 3, 2019
- “No Limits,” June 10, 2018
- “Answer to Prayer,” July 5, 2017
Awards
- “Vacant Lots & Aviaries,” first place, nonfiction essay, PEN America, 2021
- “Cave Painting,” PEN/Vera Institute of Justice prize, 2021
- “Death Row’s First Ever Talent Show,” The Marshall Project, 2019 Ellie Award finalist
- “The Mechanics of Miracles,” Samuel Johnson Essay Contest, LifeLines, Aug. 2019
- “Limp Gray Fur,” second place, PEN America, 2018
Visual Art
Exhibited Works
- “Deciphering a Ransom Note” (2018), Capitalizing on Justice art competition
- “Resisting Stereotypes (humanity isn’t black and white)” (2014), Windows on Death Row (artist statement)
Awards
- “Deciphering a Ransom Note,” Gold, Capitalizing on Justice art competition, 2018 (sold for $1,000)
Sample ArtWork
- Hooded Mary, 2023
- The LOVE Nun, 2022
- Rose, 2022
- Portrait of Kat, 2022
- “God Said BANG,” 2018
- Iron Man, Nov. 2016
- “Thinking of Heaven,” Oct. 5, 2012
- “Looking for Inspiration,” Aug. 18, 2012
- Penguins, Nov. 12, 2011
- Portrait of John Wayne, 2011
- Rose on handkerchief, 2011
- Portrait of Mike
- Jesus on the cross
- Rose origami
Misc.
- Featured in the article “Keeping Hope Alive on Death Row” by Sister Patricia Schnapp, St. Anthony Messenger, May 2020, p. 24-29 on issuu
- Editor for the anthology You’ll Be Smarter Than Us, Compassion, 2019
- Editor for Compassion newsletter, 2014-present
Kat Bodrie 