I may be stretching it a bit with Oscar Wilde, because I believe he wrote Ballad of Reading Gaol after his release. Forgive my artistic license in pursuit of the joke. I knew Malory wrote in prison, but was unaware that Miguel de Cervantes wrote at least part of his opus while in prison for “financial irregularities”. See, I’m being educational.
I immediately thought of…
Philippians: Paul of Tarsus
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7)
That was on my short list of possibles for this strip, but it isn’t fiction and I don’t want to mess with the Bible in this strip. I toyed with Mein Kampf but realized that there was not way I could make it work or be anything but offensive. That’s a beautiful passage, though.