Speedy Justice
The scream of the tree hewn down
Is drowned in the chainsaw sound.
In the silence afterwards
All is known
In the blood
On the ground.
The man across the court from me
Is going to hang
At this very moment, he looks straight at me
His eyes pleading, as if he already knows the end.
Others will decide, twelve will discuss
And reason
And argue
And hopefully soon
Decide.
The nature of his crime is to all mankind abhorrent
His just deserts are not enough, to our eyes
Snapping his neck is too quick for us, and shooting is not allowed
But if we could, we would unleash horrors unspeakable
And more.
The twelve return, and sit down with smiles
The man’s hands are white, like his face
In a monotone, the spokesman speaks
The man, his heart too weak
Before I can pass sentence,
Falls.
Without the rope
But quicker.
Copyright © Stuart Ackerman | Year Posted 2015
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