Texas inmate Mauriceo Brown has written several poems and rap songs about his murder conviction and death sentence. During our interview, he performed one of his raps, called "Dead Man Walking." An excerpt of those lyrics, as well as four other poems, appears unedited in the pages below.

Dead Man Walking

Dead man walking
I might look woke up but I'm sleeping
Dead man walking
Dead man walking

Lord please wake me from these miseries
Dead man walking
I might look woke up but I'm sleeping
A dead man walking
Dead man walking

Lord please wake me from these miseries
Every night it seems I'm scared to close my own eyes
Dressed up in sweat
And these voices can't be seen by the naked eye
Constantly waking up to the thought of death
I guess it's just another day closer to take my final breath
With visions of open caskets
Man, it seems so real
I felt the cushion on my back, it woke me up in chills
You can look into my eyes and see my soul disappear...

Watch the  complete song.