Freedom to Do Wrong
A prisoner hung himself in his cell.
He could not live without freedom.
How cruel jail seems! How hard
to endure confinement.
If there were a hypothetical way
to divide wrong doers from law abiders,
as payment for crime
they could go through a high wall
to that land of thieves and murderers
not be locked away but segregated,
Put into a free world of their own kind,
never to prey on the weak, or good, again
but to deal with the uncertainty
of someone like themselves
committing cruel deeds
when they themselves
were unsuspecting.
Suzanne Delaney is a retired Registered Nurse. A resident of Hawaii, USA she was born in Tasmania. She now has time to pursue her passion for writing poetry, creating collages and for traveling.
Suzanne, I read your words but my mind can't help but wander to those incarcerated who are INNOCENT and even if it were just ONE wrongly imprisoned, that to me is one too many. Unfortunately, it is much more than ONE - as is proven daily. Talk about giving up their freedoms and their having lost all those years in their lives. A good poem is supposed affect, effect and stir the reader - yours does! Sheri
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that some guilty and perhaps even innocent ones find life too hard being confined behind bars and choose to take their own lives. But without consequences for wrong doing, even if some innocent ones receive incarceration wrongly, there would be not determent to commit crimes. Your well written poem made me think. Thank you for sharing your talent Suzanne.
ReplyDeleteLove, Charlene.
Suz, This is truly a thought provoking piece. I am torn because prison life is a very hard thing and doesn't really do what it should; but like Charlene, I know that having consequences is necessary for those who break laws or we would have chaos. Excellent poem.
ReplyDeletePam
I agree with Pam, very though provoking piece. I can appreciate the sentiment, and in theory it sounds practical; but...so many variables, so many 'what ifs'. I'm sure all who read this will pondering your words all day. Kristina
ReplyDeleteVery interesting... good poem... Terry
ReplyDeleteDear Suz -
ReplyDeleteWhat a concept. Prison is prison I guess. You are a gentle soul.
love,
Kathy
I am SO happy to see you here my friend! Isn't this a wonderful poetry site? Your poem is stunning, VERY compelling and gives one much to think about and honestly, it's a good idea! My personal opinion is that rapists, child molester/murderers and pedifiles should be treated as lepers were in Biblical times..totally isolated with no hope of escape. I think it has already been proven that these people cannot be rehabilitated. In such cases I believe the Old Testament verse 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot' is appropriate... Maybe in the distant future when we can easily travel back and forth to the moon they could be sent there...Maybe even make them go outside for a few seconds each day without an oxygen mask. If this sounds cruel and brutal so be it. I am very much looking forward to reading more...
ReplyDeleteVery powerful and truthful poem, Suzanne. I loved reading it. Glad you shared it with us. Continued blessings!
ReplyDelete-Maurice J. Reynolds, Owner / Editor
TGBTG! Publications / Creative Inspirations
www.tgbtgpublictions.com
Just revisiting some of my old poems.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all who discussed the topic I raised. They say justice is blind ...only the prisoner knows in his heart if he is really guilty and yet some know it and never repent. Thank goodness my upbringing gave me a conscience...above all that is our most humanizing trait.
Fond Alohas,
SuZanne