Hiding behind the blue line

A songwriter changes his tune,
So as not to prejudice the case against the man in blue.
Rough justice in an island paradise,
The law is on your side, but only if you are white.
~
In a watch house, late one night,
The man in blue laughs as another drunk,
Puts up a desperate fight.
~
“Sleep it off you bum”
as the jackboot swings in.
“Learn your place boy,
and know that you can never really win”
~
Caged like a beaten animal,
And locked in a lonely cell.
A man is left frightened,
In a pain filled hell.
~
In the morning, there is no mourning,
For the charge found dead.
Only fear of the reprisals,
That this act of racism has lead.
~
The community riots, the man’s family and friends,
And the heavy hand of the law falls once again.
~
But they can’t hide the truth,
Or keep the crowds quite.
The news spreads unchecked,
Like a blazing bushfire at night.
~
And in the city, the white masters,
In their wigs and gowns.
Say it was an unfortunate accident,
And no charges can be found.
~
But in the broader community,
There is a major outcry.
Justice can’t be blind,
Or hide behind a blue line.

Marc May 07