[Newspoetry] villaknell

[david moses fruchter]

no innocent men are killed
by our death sentence machine
only innocent blood is spilled

the rationale the killers build
to keep their consciences pristine:
no innocent men are killed

it's only what the people willed
they claim -- though we have clearly seen
only innocent blood is spilled

statistics slantedly distilled
bush brags with a lie and preen:
no innocent men are killed

routinely, humanely poisoned or grilled
hope and faith denied, obscene
only innocent blood is spilled

with every death a voice is stilled
and only this i seem to glean:
no innocent men are killed
only innocent blood is spilled