Trial By Jury

15 Comments

Trial By Jury

He took the stand in his own sad defence,

accused of dark crime so abhorrent;

To so treat another, some sweet virgin or mother,

was to beg someone sign a death warrant.


She weepingly put her hand on the Bible,

thereby liable for her own verity.

"I fought, I resisted, he mocked and insisted,

I got what'd been coming to me."


When his turn to make his defence at last came

all eyes turned on him cold and stern,

His face all the while, was suffused with a smile

and just why they were anxious to learn.

 

“Did you do it, or not, tell the truth on the spot,

only your silence could more irritate us.”

“Though she claims she was raped, she got naked, 

I gaped, then just took the offered hiatus.”

 

Thus the jury sat list’ning, with eyes faintly glist’ning,

to a tale now growing absurd;

In the "she said, then he said," his future and freedom

lay in how they’d interpret one word. 


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SavVySam commented on Trial By Jury

01-22-2010

Ok Harver, Hiatus, can mean either break or gap...I am betting this is your intending word play? If not, I am now slinking off to hide my head in shame and re-read the dictionary! lol Interesting quizzical poem.

ListninEar commented on Trial By Jury

10-21-2009

I didn't like it, but that's only because of the subject matter. But, isn't that what art is all about.... People are always gonna be offended or pissed off if your doing your job right. I still think you are wonderful and I'm not gonna rate it and bring your rating down!

HarverTomsson

10/21/2009

Not to belabor the point, it is all fiction, but can the interpretation of just one word free or condemn a person? I tried to set that scenario up for the reader. thanks for your visit.

blanket commented on Trial By Jury

10-20-2009

UGGGGH! I want to know what happens...although this is a perfect example of a known writing device that lets the reader decide for them self.....wonderful

HarverTomsson

01/22/2010

Read the clues to arrive at what slightly favored way this story ends. And good luck!

mobydick commented on Trial By Jury

08-30-2009

i read it over an over. it is just wonderful.i wish i get to that level one day. tomson you great.

HarverTomsson

08/30/2009

Thank you, mobydick

Hampton commented on Trial By Jury

08-26-2009

What a cleverly written poem with subject matter out of the ordinary and wording in the true form of a polished poet

Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It's that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that's what the poet does.

Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) U.S. poet.

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