Of crime and punishment we oft believe
That Lady Justice is both blind and pure,
But canons, born of man, can oft deceive
While shades of bias yet may still obscure.
A punishment accorded to a crime
And yet the foul weight of each misdeed
Is subject not to reason or to rhyme,
And often there to bigotry concedes.
Power to adjudge, tainted by the heart
Is but ubiquitous in meted laws;
In gauging others, we our bent impart
And in so doing, show our self-same flaws.
So faulted be our judge of fellow man…
What stone should ever leave the weigher’s hand?

©Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.