08/18/2026
Twenty San Quentin residents, participants in a creative writing class called Brothers in Pen, took turns at the podium of the facility’s Chapel B on Friday, July 24, to unveil their latest creations in the group’s Sixteenth Annual Public Reading.
Each writer rooted his story in one of the fables of the mysterious seventh-century-BCE figure who left us with familiar allegories such as “beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing,” “slow and steady wins the race,” and “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.”
Creative Writing Class instructor Zoe Mullery noted in the event’s printed program that “this prompt turned out to be harder than I expected. The fables are moralistic, sometimes very odd, sometimes harsh. There are dozens of versions and hundreds of fables. But as usual, the writers have come up with some interesting and fresh takes on the theme, as you will see.”Â
Some of the resulting compositions evoked laughter with sagacious humor. Others were darker or sad, inducing quiet, pensive responses from the audience. Overall, the creations proved well-written and thought-provoking.
đź”— Read more: https://sanquentinnews.com/brothers-in-pen-display-creative-writing-talents/
✍️ Charles Crowe
📸 Marcus Casillas
