The Craven

The Craven (with apologies to EAP) Yesterday at my bail hearing, suddenly what I was fearing Came with force of pounding gavel causing me to near unravel Causing weakness in the knees, dreading future lawyer’s fees Then I heard the gavel pounding, pounding on my future days “I ain’t got the cash, your honor”. “Lock him up until he pays”. “Damn the system, judges, lawyers, laws embossed in courthouse foyers.” They make decisions based on fact that later they will all redact Whilst in cells dingy, dank and foul I listen to the guilty howl Denying what the voices said, denying they were in their head Plotting schemers that connive, a curse as long as you’re alive. Deep into the emptiness I stared, longer than the others dared Saw the bottom of hell’s pit, no chance of getting out of it Bargained, pleaded, made a deal, my soul for getting out of jail. So now in days devoid of change I wrestle with decisions pangs knowing nothing can erase the malevolent grin on Satan’s face. Cold, silent, darkness wanting more, sucked the heat out of my core Distantly I heard the sounding, that of the evil sadly pounding Pounding on the chasms floor, pounding amid hellfire’s roar For I was judged by ego’s gavel, condemned, and left, to slow unravel Condemned, for even justice fails, when there are fingers on the scales. 9/21/2014 submitted for Kelly Deschler contest – The Raven