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Open Poetry #25
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Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England

0 posted 2003-02-17 06:11 AM


Guilty or innocent, they let you decide
The fate of a person you have never known,
The state has arrogance, full of pride,
While the man in the dock faces death alone

Someone dies by the knife, a hunt shall begin
To find the callous killing soul,
They stole the life of someone's kin,
Find him, that is justice's goal

From a desolate house the man is hauled,
To face the enraged mob of mourning,
Lawyers and witnesses are called,
With the case in court looming

He stands in the dock, quivering,
Twelve eyes judge him the one,
Guilty, he faces the judge while shivering,
And the man in robes say 'your life is gone.'

Cast in chains he is dragged to the seat,
A nightmare dentist holds the switch,
His body convulses with fear, feeling the heat,
Desperate innocence, he does repeatedly twitch

The lever clamps down and energy rips through
His body, burning flesh and stinging eyes,
Out of this life, the shortest straw he drew,
Killed, by the evil men's lies

Years pass and the man is spat on,
The memory of the killer, destroyed,
The men in power say it hurt no one
Covering up the life with which they'd toyed

The truth comes out when another dies,
Horrified cops see how similar they are,
The wrong man was executed, they realise,
As they drag the man and toss him the car

For six months he is tried until condemned,
Family of the fallen man mourn and scream,
On his deathchair the man grinned,
"He was a good man, gave me a new blood dream."

The life is forced from him,
No more death shall flower,
Yet cops mourn, feelng grim,
Because a man died, due to an abuse of power...

[This message has been edited by Peter J Marcroft (02-17-2003 06:12 AM).]

© Copyright 2003 Peter J Marcroft - All Rights Reserved
Kethry
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-29
Posts 9082
Victoria Australia
1 posted 2003-02-17 06:43 AM


Well written, although I work in a system where sometimes mistakes are made.
Kethry

Here in the midst of my lonely abyss, a single joy I find...your presence in my mind.  Unknown



Ericc
Member Elite
since 2003-01-31
Posts 4178

2 posted 2003-02-17 10:29 AM


Powerful message.
Eric

Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England
3 posted 2003-02-17 11:23 AM


Thanks for the feedback people

Kefry: - This was not an attack on people who made mistakes, it was an attack on corruption (check the last line of one of my later stanzas)

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