He stood on the rostrum

Addressing the crowd,

His political rhetoric

Both lively and loud,

He said, “Law and Order,

Is what this state needs

So if you folks what justice

You’d best vote for me,

Because though the civil war’s over

The burglaries and thefts

Are only outnumbered

By the violent deaths,

That occur in the main-streets

Of towns such as this

In front of your loved ones,

Your wives and your kids,

But I’ll bring Law and Order,

And that is my pledge,

If you elect me as governor”,

That’s what the man said.

And the whole crowd went crazy,

They cheered and they clapped,

All, except one man

That stood at the back.

His voice remained silent,

His hands remained still,

But that look in his eyes

Vowed his intention to kill,

So when the congressman finished,

And the crowd wandered off home,

He patiently waited,

Until his prey was alone,

Then raising his pistol

He carefully took aim,

And squeezing the trigger

He called the congressman’s name.

The bullet hit him in the arm,

Spinning him around,

The second bullet hit his thigh,

And sent him to the ground,

The next bullet hit the other arm,

The fourth shattered his knee,

The congressman was screaming now

In fear and agony,

As his assailant loomed above him,

The gun still in his hand,

Oozing hatred as he asked,

“Do you know who I am?

I was only ten years old

The last time you saw my face,

And you wore a rebel uniform

When you attacked our place,

My Daddy weren’t no soldier,

He didn’t want to fight,

And what you did to Momma

Still wakes me up at night.

And my elder brother, Jamie,

So full of fire and grit,

Was only thirteen years of age

When you shot him to bits,

And the bullet you put in me

Went right through the other side,

I guess I’m lucky that it did

Or else I might have died.

Then who would have brought the justice

You say we’re voting for,

And who would have made you pay

For what you did during the war.

Then once more he cocked the hammer,

And took aim with his gun,

When a voice as cool as driven snow

Said, “Take it easy son”,

And the sheriff stood behind him,

Saying, “I’ve just heard what you said,

But you’ll hurt him more to let him live

Than you will do if he’s dead,

He’ll never be elected now

And you’ve crippled him for life,

So please lower down the pistol son 

Please don’t make me ask you twice.

The young man’s hands were shaking,

Tears streamed down his cheeks,

He looked up to see the townsfolk

Had slowly lined the street,

And looked at him sympathetically

As he stood there and cried,

Should he fire or let him live?

He just could not decide.

Until the congressman screamed at him,

“It was war for heaven’s sake,

You can’t hold me responsible

For every damned mistake”,

Then the young man’s doubts were over,

He’d finally made his choice,

And all it took to do it,

Was to hear the others voice.

The gun he held exploded,

The sheriff’s did as well,

Did he die before the congressman?

No-one could really tell.

I don’t suppose it matters, 

Not to those two anyway,

But to me it does  ‘cause I was sheriff,

On that election day.

By S.E.Ralph 

26-11-2019