Equal Application of the Maw

(for our social hypocrites)

Let everybody’s foe be jury, judge
and executioner. Forget the facts
which we assume indicted felons fudge.
Your prosecutor’s countervailing tacks
will tell the biased jury what the truth
is. Since he’s all of what amounts to twelve,
and appears to be a keen social sleuth
of made-up crimes, it doesn’t pay to delve
into specifics that could jeopardize
his case. Let’s zero in on punishing
the culprit so his crimes can be reprised.
As such, we can begin by tarnishing
his reputation so that any raw
deal he gets can be fully justified
as reasoned application of the law.
What matter if it’s never been applied
before to crimes involving theft and rape?
The latter have the benefit of right.
For privileged fiends with wherewithal escape
the liberal application of the might
applied to suckers served their justice cold.
by some unfashionably caustic scold.

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.