DIE

I decided to write this in honor of Troy Davis who was executed after three different stays of execution. The case was flawed from the very beginning. As time passed and his defense team changed, it became clearer that many mistakes had been made by the police, the witnesses and his lawyers.

Troy Davis has been all over the news so here his story in big strokes: Troy’s friend, Redd Coles was arguing with a homeless man over a beer. Redd Coles pistol-whipped the homeless man. A security guard, by night and a police officer by day, Mark McPhail came over to break up the argument. Suddenly, he lay dead from two gunshots. The very next day, Redd Coles and a lawyer arrived at the police department in Savannah, Georgia and accused Troy Davis of murdering the off-duty cop. Here some words in poetry instead of prose.

DIE

Die a useless death for those who come after you

Die like a junky, justified with a needle in your arm

Justify his death through eyewitnesses

Witness his demise as if you’ve done no harm

Today the law stands accused

Of killing a man they say killed another

Today power has been abused

For refusing to investigate further

He’s not your man, his lawyer said,

Here, take a look at what we’ve found

Sorry, is what the judge replied,

This case is closed, review denied

How can you throw a man under the axe

When all we want to do is crack

This case and discover the real facts

Which could give him his life back?

He is a murderer, this is a fact

He’s had his day in court way back

Twenty years since then have past

He’s guilty as hell. And that’s that

Twenty years since then have past

And still I swear I’m innocent

Twenty years is time I’ve spent

Breathing sweat from the cement

In this jail, which is my home

I’ve checked out long ago

I’ll never leave but in a box

Even though this debt I don’t owe

I’ve killed no one, not then not now

I’ve done no wrong, of this I swear

Twenty years since then have past

I’ve killed no one, law doesn’t care

Let this man live, the whole world cried

Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter

Millions of people were on his side.

Save his life! Make no martyr!

The judge, the governor, the Supreme Court

Watched as the Board made up of five

Turned a blind eye on Troy’s case

Any more time spent was a waste

This is it, no more appeals

This is it, you’re going to die

They won’t make any more deals

Because the system's gone awry

It’s all good, it’s all okay

I’ve made my peace, I’ll feel no pain

I’ll close my eyes and drift away

But don’t you worry, we’ll meet again

Die a senseless death for those who’ve come and gone

Die like a junky, justified with a needle in your arm

Justify his death through eyewitnesses

Witness his demise as if you’ve done no wrong