Long Listed for the 2023 Griffin Poetry Awards

2023 Longlist Announcement

Trial

It was during the time of that strange court case

           that created so much buzz.

People filled the corridors and the big hall early

           in the morning

and although it rained people stood outside in

the sidewalks many blocks around the courthouse.

Each person remembered their own life. Many cried.

           Others were drunk and cursed.

But when time came and the judges walked in,

quietness spread all around; soon after, too soon

perhaps, the judgment was announced. Traitor.

Death. The merciless voice of justice was heard.

A wave of relief passed over the people. Bells

chimed somewhere far away, perhaps even lambs

            bleated.

Suddenly quietness again when the second

judgment was announced: Innocent. Death.

The merciless voice of justice was heard again.

Then one judgment followed the other.

You hated. Death. You fell in love. Death.

You denied. Death. You obeyed. Death

And we, one by one, passed before the judges

who after a short deliberation declared

their judgment: You cowered. Death. You

dared. Death. You cheated. Death.

You forgave. Death.

And we all returned home to our warm supper

peaceful that we had paid our depth

with that judgment.

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