One Wrong Choice

By

Bill Cottringer

 Doing a hard 50 years,

Started at 44,

Maybe out at 77?

Been married for 50,

Still, after all these years,

None counts though;

No parole,

No clemency,

No release,

Just more time;

Asked what can I do

To earn my release?

Silence was deafening,

Finally received decision—

You are still a risk,

And you should know,

Cops shouldn’t do

What you planned,

Robbing a drug dealer

And his fiancée,

With a real estate agent,

Just in the way.

Who cares right?

Wrong,

Public does.

You can’t undo

Shooting the two;

But they survived

And are living free,

Yet you still stay,

Locked up in a cell,

Left with more time,

And less hope.

Was this your purpose?

From all your efforts,

Making  time serving you,

To tell others—

If you can’t do the time,

Don’t do the crime.