The first

One last question posed/And the shaken drawling man/Cannot answer/Head hanging/Hands cover his face

We lean forward/To hear the breaking voice/That so laden moment/We knew would come

But his sobs remain silent/The Court has ordered every witness/Not to speak of death

He cannot answer truthfully/Whatever question he thinks was asked

The Second

Strides into the courtroom/Head held high/He shakes the lawyer’s hand

Now to face the questions/His buddy fumbled

He can do better/He won’t pass blame/In his mind everything was right/A man finds the way to survive

Published in Rusty Nail Magazine, 2/27/12 http://www.rustynailmag.com/bberger.html