would the accused stand. [not a question]
hooray for modern media [not applause]
the truth of twitter revealing [ironic lies]
the souls and minds of your personal public [your epic identity]
accused: equates to: guilty as suggested [verdict handed up]
what else has he done? [supposition]
a slip of the tongue
a touch of the hand
a tax form filled in
a partner hidden
a love affair
a passion fulfilled
a habit
a sweeping addiction
the voices pour over [people you’ve met once]
the shouts are so loud [why so visceral and violent]
and all these darts [pain]
aimed at head and heart [soul and spirit left to deal with this]
have painted on them truths [people are so smart]
and valiant certitude seeking nobles [people look so grand]
cast them about [circus sport]
— (like it brief? stop here, think of the rest as notes?)
their accusations reflect
their true hearts
like a mirrored pond
they know what they would do
what they have done
they know in accusing they assuage
their own guilt, the guilt they built
for years and hid away
today the fingers point my way
from kindergarten
to stuffed shirt sitting in ‘high’ court
grasping power from others
they accuse, they trample down
delighting in the destruction of
this ordinary and common man
show me your social standing
do you have it writ down on deed?
tell me of all you(r) value
did you note the warning label?
don’t’ wash synthetics and mixed colours?
once accused of social gaff or grievous crime
once accused of being out of sync
with the polyvalent group think
all you were, in others eyes
is toxic stained with chlorine-bleach
all you were, now fades to lies
all the good you raised
all the love
all the sacrifice
weighs on the scales as a a fly
this nr-do-well accusation
falls as Thor as meteor
with ferocity and fire
the mere possibility it might be true
scars and burns all of you
and those around
grief and loss; will now be you banquet
pondering where and why; your career
a downward slide; your permanent route
grasping power from others,
they accuse, they trample down,..”
being so finely balanced that a small accusation, a whisper can immediately throw us into the guilty pile; also that peoples acceptance of accusation as guilt reflects so much more on them than the accused.
We are strange as humans – we want to believe people and can be fooled as we accept people as honest and truthful. Then at the same time we will tear apart one of our pack in a minute
reflecting our own failures and temptations and the ‘wish’ to drag others down, to reject the tall poppy (I really like poppies) so that we feel better about ourselves.
(even as I write this I know I don’t like arrogance – had to strip out a rant about the High court as it ran-off the point of the poem, but they represent at times the worst of our system, overpaid, over rated, pretentious dressed and performing so show they are better than us, no ability to see common man or know common sense – esoteric and bureaucratic , aiding their powerful friends and selling the nation down to the biggest foreign bidder – ok rant over, they wield unelected power ….obviously it getting right up my nose!)
“Allan was arrested on the 20th of February, 2020. He was taken to Baba Dogo Police Station and later to Kasarani Police Station where he was very briefly informed of what he was being accused of. After being arraigned in court he was taken to Industrial Area Remand Prison. He had thought that his stay there would be for just one night since he had not committed the crime but little did he know that he would find himself locked up for one year and three months.”
from AJAR.
[link]
See more or donate at https://ajartrust.org Africa Justice and restoration trust.