The policeman, and prisoner, both stand in the court;
Both equal, in the eyes of the law.
It was just yesterday, that these two had fought,
But now they’re equal, in the eyes of the law.
The black man, they say, raped a white girl;
All equal in the eyes of the law.
Now, as the story starts to unfurl,
They’re all equal, in the eyes of the law.
The prisoner is barefoot, he doesn’t look well;
But he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
Unshaven and dirty, from a night in the cell;
But he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
The black man was caught with the white girl one day;
They’re equal, in the eyes of the law.
She’d taken him home, while her husband’s away;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
The husband was early, and caught the black guy;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
The woman screamed rape, and started to cry;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
Look at the bruises and cuts that she’s got;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
We must lock him up, and let the scum rot;
But he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
The accused states the husband beat his own wife;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
The woman says no, she’s in fear of her life;
And she’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
The woman is nervous, in these obvious lies,
But she’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
When she isn’t believed, once more she cries;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
Now there’s a need for judicial abuse;
Though we’re equal, in the eyes of the law.
If this guy goes free, all hell will break loose,
But we’re equal, in the eyes of the law.
Imagine the scandal, we need a good plan,
To keep equal, in the eyes of the law.
The whites may aim violence at every black man;
All equal; in the eyes of the law.
Much better that one black is sent off to gaol;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
To prove to the people, the system won’t fail;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
And the black population will cause no affray;
They’re equal, in the eyes of the law.
If they make any fuss, we’ll just turn away,
To keep equal, in the eyes of the law.
A black man, in life, suffers huge degradation;
Though he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
He’s made to endure enforced subjugation;
But he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
Violence against women is abhorrent and hated;
We’re all equal, in the eyes of the law.
Discrimination, also, is not tolerated;
We’re all equal, in the eyes of the law.
But in this case, the true facts are of no avail;
All equal, in the eyes of the law.
It’s far more important, that good image prevail;
To keep us equal, in the eyes of the law.
The sentence is life, parole there is none;
But he’s equal, in the eyes of the law.
And I pat my own back, for the great job I’ve done;
I’m the law, and all’s equal once more.
Craig Hill
Brisbane, Australia
9th Aug 2005
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Great one…
I just discovered a new facet of your work and I like it!
Excellent!
Reblogged this on KnowCanDo and commented:
I haven’t posted anything in the area of creative writing – fiction or poetry – before… I’m not sure why, but I suppose I have been totally focused on non-fiction and opinion of late, which shows in the books I’ve been reading the past several years…
Craig Hill’s poem, IMHO, is extremely interesting. It is extremely contemporary, in the sense that it is very unlikely that it would have been written at any time historically but now. In a sense, I think that as poetry, it is unlikely to be something that has a “lasting” impact, in that it doesn’t seem to be something reviewed 200 years from now in an English Literature class in Providence, Maine.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t a good poem. I see him trying to impact an audience now. He wants his reader to think not just about the situation he describes, be it imaginary or on a real court case he has witnessed. In either case, the situation is one that is likely to have happened before and can happen again. It is this potential that makes it pertinent to think about how we think – not just about other races, in general, but also about how courts and society treats and considers the rights and prejudices that individuals have.
Though the imagery conveyed in every other line is stark and descriptive, it is the repetition of the phrase, “Equal, in the eyes of the law,” that stands out. Read as a statement, Hill’s meaning, of course, is that it is really a question. What is equality? What is fairness? What is justice? How can we ensure these abstract rights when we make decisions in court and in government based on the unbiased observation and judgement of biased people?
As educators and people seeking to improve the quality of life for everyone, we need to learn to develop personal conduct that embrases the values of fairness, honesty, kindness, and justice. But we cannot enforce it among individuals. We can only hope that the moral and ethical fabric of our children will hold tight our most vital, vibrant, and human ideals.
Thank you, Craig, for this thoughtful song!
Well done!
I spent a lot of time in court as a cop. It’s pretty much the way things are.
Wow! I didn’t know you write poetry, too! Powerful! BTW, I nominated you for a HUG (Hope Unites Globally) Award this week. 🙂 Perhaps, you’ve already received nomination before! Thanks for your extensive and awesome work!
The HUG Award© was initiated by Connie Wayne at A Hope for Today athttp://ahopefortoday.com, which promotes hope, love, peace, equality, and unity for all people.
Great job, Craig, I used to work in the court system, so this brought back memories…and thanks for following me! 🙂