For the Trees.

Above the labyrinth of green,
the subterranean life forces -
the hunter, and the hunted.
Against the odds, and mighty words
pre-set in wet concrete.

Amongst the swaying branches,
in the trees, and with the trees
he listened, to cries,
the calling from the wood,
and with one hand
he took a 6 inch nail,
and pressed the point behind his ear.

He took the hammer from his pocket,
blindly aimed around his head,
and hit the nail, abruptly,
through his ear, in -
to the bark.

He aimed again,
and hit the nail -
again and again, in -
to the hard wood.

The angle was awkward,
the pain intense.

He waited.
Blood trickled down his neck.
Taking a stand,
before the trees are felled
and lost forever.

Soon, there would be voices
all around, echoing,
departure announcements.

1997.06
Copyright 1997 by Terry Miles.

*** 
 

The Testimony.

A Woman,
a woman in a Wheel-chair,
in a wheel-chair, paralyzed,
unable to speak,
to speak, but able,
able
to communicate,
to communicate
all-be-it, s l o w l y,
s l o w l y
with the aid of letters,
letters
of the alphabet,
the alphabet.

She was denied the right
the right
to use them,
to use them in court,
to testify,
to testify against the man,
the man
who had assaulted her,
assaulted her
in private,
with his manhood,
with his manhood.

In the court, the judge said,
the judge said
that because she could not,
could not be cross-examined,
be cross-examined
she could not,
could not.

On the television news,
the television news
she could be seen,
be seen
with her boy-friend,
her boy-friend,
angry and dismayed,
angry and dismayed -
leaving,
leaving
the courts of injustice,
the courts of injustice.

The woman, unprotected,
unprotected by the law,
the law
is now afraid,
afraid
to be alone,alone
with strangers,
strangers.

Note:
 The repeats should be printed directly
under the 'same' words.
Written after a judge in the U.K. had denied
a disabled woman the right to testify in court.

1997.08
Copyright by Terry Miles 1997.

***