Babatunde Olagunju
Rhyme, But No Reason
I have been struck
most forcefully
by all the niceties of law
and lawmen's fists.
And I am innocent, unfairly tried.
I have been charged
outrageously
with causing bodily harm
but my own body felt the harm.
And I am innocent, unfairly tried.
I have been tried
Oh! Sorely tried
Unfairly tried
By judge. And jury?
The jury judged the judge
they judged him fair
they heard his words.
Upon my word he took away my words.
that I am innocent, and wrongly tried.
I said I was the victim in this plot
I said it plain as day
I said it many times
I laid no hand on any man
'though hands were laid on me.
And I am innocent, and wrongly tried.
In summing up his case, not mine,
the judge ignored my words
gave evidence entirely of his own device
I had laid on first hands, said he, the jury need not think
perhaps the others struck first blow
these officers whose character must yet be good;
(For are they not upholders of the law?), and hence it must be so,
'Though I am innocent, a victim of their crime.
My gamecock barrister fought well, but all in vain
uphill. Nay! Vertical his climb
to show me as the victim. Said the judge:
"I do not think that this is what has happened here"
that I, an innocent, was victim of their crime.
Innocent, convicted, tainted by lies
and fabrications, perjury and more
then, from my prison cell, I asked for legal aid.
Refused! "You must await the outcome of your trial"
so nonsense triumphs over innocence
and I am innocent, victim of rough justice
And most biting satire masquerades as justice in its very halls.
These too long years of struggle
could make a man go mad
except he is so certain
he is the lonely island in an ocean of insanity.
"There is no wrong found in the judge's words", they say
"Why, then, deny your guilt?"
the jury found you guilty
No! Not them, the judge!
'twas he who said I lied
'twas he who said the officers were in the right
they had the right of self-defence, and I
Why! And it were not false arrest I had no rights!
I, the victim, had no rights
('though I it was that they assailed by force)
The judge gave evidence himself it had not happened thus.
(He was not there that day, but as a judge he must indeed be right!)
These many years of doors slammed in my face:
No access as of right
to justice, but by leave.
But no judge gave me leave to speak these many years.
And now: "Why take so long?" they ask,
"Why let the years slip by?"
And so for time's dear sake, not justice, thus is leave denied
Yet I have need for no man's leave to say that I am innocent.
And so the law is changed
its fairness stifled, truth is gagged
a judge may speak his mind to any jury,
truth or no; there are no rules.
And if a judge should blind and bind the jury
with his own view of fact,
with his own evidence freely given
the new rule says that this is fair.
And so: "Is justice dead through all this land?"
Goodnight, sweet jurisprudence!
You have served your land in faith
in goodness and in mercy
Sleep well, until good men awaken you to judge in truth and mercy.
Then they, not I alone, shall say
that I am innocent, and was most wrongly and unfairly tried
Patrick Lockerby
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