dear God
do we
have to go
through this again
the Legal Aid lawyer shouts you a coffee strong,
drinkable has taken to calling your offence
the stupid fuckin- grand theft auto thing
says you may as well have
taken it on a joy ride to Sydney
hell you coulda' gone to Broome and
back
the Diversionary Officer quizzes you about sporting
achievements community
service volunteer
work citizenship
awards
she scribbles it all down
represented Australia in the Olympics
rapid fire pistol air rifle
three gold medals and a silver
disappearing target moving
target she writes it all on the form:
double shot single shot
standing kneeling
praying
dear God do we have to
go through this again
have you never heard
of irony
Wilson's Security tip your bag upside down again
two dollar coins tissues inhalers paperclips pens
a smashed mobile screen
fold up pamphlet: STOP FAMILY VIOLENCE
MyKi card, no funds
before lunch the Magistrate's dragged back in to Court Room number three:
- "it's on the lower end of the spectrum ..."
you're at large
out on bail
fights are fixed
dice loaded
cops stuffed up the timeline
ex partner retracted a statement
- "you only
sat
in the bloody car"
give or take a dent or two
everybody knows
you're lawless strung out at large
wired on bail stuffed up
scratched 'n' dented
everybody knows
dear God put me on another bond
write another letter of apology
hand over more funds for the cop's Christmas piss-up
dear God
let me go home
ReplyDeleteWhat a poem! Dear Kristen.
"lower end of the spectrum"
"she writes it all on the form"
Is it any wonder there is lawless?
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DeleteYes indeed Rob - where there is pedantic bureaucracy & officialdom, lawless flourishes, works its way through the cracks. As Leonard Cohen would say that's how the light gets through!
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