ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Death Row Lament

Stand before me, my accuser.
Read your charge sheet loud and clear.
When condemning me for murder,
let's make sure the world can hear.
So, your jury found me guilty,
though your evidence threadbare.
You would send me to the gallows,
you would choke me of my air.

So before you call the hangman,
let a slip knot seal my fate,
know while swinging from the rafters
a reprieve will come too late.
So I sit and wait on death row
and I sing these death row blues.
Will I be a dead man walking?
Well, it's up to you to choose.

Now I pray to God in Heaven,
come and answer me my prayer.
Tear the bars out from my prison,
let me walk away from here.
For the bastards want to hang me
for a crime I didn't do.
If you aim to save a soul tonight
I hope you'll save me too.

Now I sit and feast on chicken
side of French Fries and a coke.
There's no justice, no escaping,
all my prayers went up in smoke.
In a short while I'll be swinging
and my life will be no more,
but I'll still cry 'I'm not guilty!'
as they drop me through the floor.


Copyright (c) Allan Cropper March 2016

Ooh, very good Allan - I am wondering what in particular might have inspired it. Sadly this has been the grim reality of many people in the past when failed by the justice system.

You have conveyed the helplessness, despair and the injustice really well Allan.

Heather

There's a legal dictum along the lines that; it is better for ten guilty men to escape than one innocent be condemned.
I disagree.... that would be injustice.

It is better that the guilty be condemned and the innocent acquitted.

I worked in the NSW "justice" system for 35 years and my experience showed me that usually a verdict of not guilty does not mean they are innocent, only that they got away with it this time.

Such is life. Sadly.

Enjoyed the read Allan.


Merv.