L' Affaire

 

L’ Affaire

Shatter my sacred sword on your knee;

Throw the futile pieces to the floor in disdain.

Degrade me, exile me, vilify me;

On your devil’s island, bind me in chain.

 

Array your slippery evidence-

Lie, forge, smear, collude-

To entangle me, in your oily clench,

In the inky depths of your turpitude.

 

But, I transcended your arrogance,

And, bathed in the light of the aurora sun-

A moment of human conscience*-

Fought for you, vindicated, at Verdun.

 

 

*From the eulogy for Emile Zola, author of J’ Accuse!

 

 

For Mark Antony Rossi in thanks for his support and encouragement

 

Steve Lang

 

Steve Lang is a Pushcart Poetry Prize nominated poet and frequent contributor to Ariel Chart.