Constitutional Cancer

by Frank De Canio / July 12th, 2020

Americans treat free speech like a crime
and kidnapping or murder like free speech!
A fool who says the wrong thing’s rendered slime,
while those committing murder’s out of reach
of judgement that’s beyond a court of law.
Free speech is subject to the lynching mob
while rapists seem to have a passing flaw.
Though glib remarks can render one a slob,
rape’s a temporary inconvenience.
It leaves the violated girl intact
enough to grant the suspect lenience
by smug interpretations of the act.
A felon’s still a suspect should he rob
somebody, meriting a costly trial.
But those who aren’t PC lose their job,
while self-styled liberals sit back and smile.
And those who piously promote the flap
perhaps would not survive a wiretap.

Born and bred in New Jersey, Frank worked in New York for many years. He loves music from Bach to Amy Winehouse, World Music, Latin, opera. Shakespeare is his consolation, writing his hobby. Frank likes poets Dylan Thomas, Keats, Wallace Stevens, Frost, Ginsberg, and Sylvia Plath. Read other articles by Frank.

This article was posted on Sunday, July 12th, 2020 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.