Innocence
I am at the heart of a raging debate.
Is the death penalty humane?
What crimes should warrant capital punishment?
Me, my opinion is lost.
Blown to the wind.
But here's what I think
About "justice:"
Rape is worthy of the death penalty.
It is an unforgivable crime.
I'd rather be murdered than raped.
And that's just the truth.
But then there comes a complexity
About how capital punishment favors the rich and white.
I say the death penalty is great,
But the racism and sexism and judgement
Needs to change
Before I can feel safe
In my skin.
Because no one cares about innocence
Anymore.
No one cares what you didn't do.
They care about
y o u r s k i n
y o u r c l o t h e s
y o u r s e x u a l i t y
y o u r p a s t
y o u r f i n a n c i a l s t a n d i n g
They don't care
About innocence.
They care
About penance.
Penance for someone else's deeds.
How to get away with murder:
Be white, be rich, be charismatic,
and the law can't touch you.
You've bought a restraining order on justice.
So here we are.
Stuck chasing after the wrong person
because the right white man
Couldn't possibly
Be evil....
No one cares
About Innocence.