Dave Dunn

Exposure

Saturday 31st October 2015 12:18 pm

All the pretence of innocence
The rules that one invents
Laws that must be seen to be
Beyond the reach of devilry

Those in power can circumvent
As they like, with full intent
Legal eagles can but try
To keep your vision from the lie

All in all I wonder when
We truly will have freedom again
Twisted knots of red tape can
Imprison every once free man

Number six once held the key
The prisoner seen in the sixties
Enigmatic though he may have been
His story soon exposed the dream

Freedom is so rare indeed
I ponder if we can succeed
The papers headlines cry out loud
As if they could be truly proud

But nearly all are but a scam
Or spin made by some witty man
Lies they tell us day by day
No wonder many kneel and pray

And though they tell us vote for me
The end result will plainly be
Within their rules so we can play
At democracy but still lose the day

For freedom, truth and all that's fair
Are lost to men who really care
The sails are rigged to the systems needs
And we'll all be subject to their deeds

Evidence of this I've found
Is very common all around
In daily life the taxmans strength
Is way beyond the rules he bent

A quota for all spheres within
The scope of all the suits who sin
Against the public, the underlings
Those like us that like to sing

No matter what we say or do
They find some plot to take from you
An extra tax, a fine or worse
Small wonder many learn to curse

Those that stand before the judge
And spoil the truth to earn a grudge
A grudge that if you can't escape
Will trap you in the coils of hate

In blue and white they stand and say
This is what they saw that day
If justice can't be had for all
Then democracy is bound to fall

For only when we can truly see
The end to all kinds of tyranny
Will Castros and Mugabes flee
Instead of grinding you and me

When Idi fled Ugangdan lands
His shelter was in desert lands
Where oil wealth grants the right to rule
To very few, that were sent to school

Within our own society
Supposedly land of the free
But once back home they have the right
To strike your hands off if they like

Suffice to say we still can write
But perchance we may awake one night
To find the rules have been changed again
Our only freedom's within our brain

©Rhumour
April 9th 2008

crime injustice law prisoner red tape

◄ The Ghost That Flitters

After A Break Up ►

Comments

Dave D Poet Rhumour

Sat 31st Oct 2015 16:36

Hi MC, thanks for reading and commenting - good to hear you were victorious on this occasion. :)

Fair play ought to be reliable here and in other 'democratic' countries, though sadly pseudo democracy would be a more appropriate term for any 1st past the post system where a mere 25% of registered voters can elect a party into power.

Best wishes, Dave

Dave D Poet Rhumour

Sat 31st Oct 2015 16:07

Hi Huw, thanks for the comments. :)

I brought this one out from the pile as it seemed to have some relevance to the UK prisoner just released after all those years under US control - but without any due process.

You asked about stanza 4 - no, I have the highest regard for Nelson Mandela, but the reference there was to the cult tv series 'The Prisoner' who was simply known as No.6. Although it was by no means comparable to the vicious regime endured by detainees in Guantanamo Bay, the lack of any trial or explanations and the ongoing questioning seemed to be relevant,

Maybe justice is never clear cut - but I've seen police lie in court and I've seen witnesses lie too. Hardly conducive to justice, but certainly good for vested interests.

The man tied up in red tape represents not just the guy in the street fighting for common sense on the part of his local council, etc, but for the many people in the world who don't get a realistic chance of success in life.

Be it Stalin's Russia or Mugabe's Zimbabwe, or any of dozens of past regimes that suppressed truth and opportunity, the spirit of man to seek a way through those barriers must be commended. Certainly few men in recent history could have matched Mandela - and few deserved freedom more.

All men should expect justice to be accountable, just as they should be for their own crimes - but the biggest sins must be the corruptions that bend justice out of shape.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 31st Oct 2015 15:50

I've just experienced the upside of authority, having
incurred a congestion charge fine that deserved - in the
cause of "fair play" - to be appealed. Result - fair play
and a charge cancelled. One of the aspects of our
system that was exported is the code of fair play and
its close proximity to justice and civility in life... one
that always stands in the way of despots, tyrants and
dictators whose upbringing had no such experience.

If conscience is left untought
Men will think all can be bought
And the only thing that's free
Is the price of you and me.

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