ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

THE DEED IS DONE

I sighed
All my words have been expressed
Sombre beating in my chest
Forlorn heaving of the breast
The deed is done

I cried
For those left to pay the price
Make no sense of sacrifice
No more rolling of the dice
The deed is done

I died
One last flicker of the flame
Snuffed out by gunmen's aim
Puffs of smoke - eternal shame
The deed is done

And still it's justified by some
Now we've rid the world of scum
How much safer we've become
The deed is done

We can all sleep well at night
We have set the world to right
Kiss the little one's good night
The deed is done

Copyright (c) Allan Cropper April 2015

Criminals get what they deserve, they show no mercy to their victims.

A truly heartfelt poem.. and very topical.

Well done, and nicely constructed so quickly.

Neat rhyming of "scum" .... would never have thought of that! In my youth some of my mates were called scum, but since then I have never really heard the expression applied to people much. Must have improved the company I keep.

Agree or disagree with the sentiments? Most folk probably have strong views either way, and I aint going there ... but from a poetic point of view, it has to get some Big Points! .. now send it off to TAT magazine and have it beautifully presented. It is so well written that it deserves far wider exposure!
Great stuff.

Well said Allan.

The only thing I hear now is Joko Widodo beating his chest. It's a sad, sad day.

Heather

Neville - my feelings are clear on the subject. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

Gary - thank you for kind feedback. The events of this morning have troubled me for some time, and I needed to vent when I heard the news this morning. It kind of wrote itself, although in re-reading I realized I used the rhyme 'night' twice in the last verse. Oh well. I will leave it to Maureen as to whether or not it is worthy of publishing

Heather - it is a sad day. No one is saying that these two should not be punished, but to imprison them for ten years and then execute them is kind of a double jeopardy in the least, certainly waste of human resources as the two were engaged in the rehabilitation of others, and in my opinion a completely unnecessary barbaric act for political gain. It is not possible to convince everyone of the futility and savagery of capital punishment in a civilized society, but it is gratifying to know that the weight of opinion lies with the compassionate, the charitable and the humane - those that recognize that there is more to a person's character that a crime they commit - that there is a place for rehabilitation and redemption. Rant over.

The execution of those two men serves no purpose other than to prop up Widodo. It's a sad day when we cannot find forgiveness in our hearts.

It's not about feelings or opinions Al.

In this contemporary world of spin and sentiment we seem to get our categories mixed up.

The man who murdered Jill Meagher in Melbourne is in the category of barbarity and savagery in a civilised society. That's the truth.

People who plot to enter a criminal enterprise have an end that is in the category of justice. That's the truth.

The issue of clemency or pardons is another category with its own considerations.

Actions and Consequences.

If you cannot stand the consequences don't carry out the action.


Bob

Heather's opinion is much the same as mine.

I was surprised awhile back when a few of us were discussing this, to fined I was very much in the minority.

A few years ago (well quite a few) and I would probably have taken a harder line - they say we mellow with age don't they.

Terry

The worst thing in all this was and still is the antics of the Australian media, if they had just kept the commentary to a circumspect minimum then the outcome may have been different.