by Frank C. Praeger

Contemptible, 

pushed, 

pushed back. 

nor is it necessarily 

jade terraces that can not change; 

Irrelevant, nevertheless - 

nor so much offend. 

a judge slouches toward his fame.  

Placards line the courthouse steps. 

a jury files in 

that has not filed in before 

a hot dog vendor

escorted

from the courtroom 

protests his innocence. 

A crow's fixed stare 

amplifies 

the magnitude of the occasion. 

Somebody less than guilty settles in the stairwell. 

twittering, sparrows cower in a gutter. 

Tomorrow and tomorrow all will have gone. 

Just so: cleaning ladies, duty done,  

sequestered in their beds 

may lie awake dreamily dreaming of their appointed place.