In another time or place
They would have stoned me
the blood collecting in puddles
around my broken body
expiating my sin
restoring your honor
in minutes, an hour, two at most.
Here in this time, this place
Stones are illegal
a thousand beggarly acts
and heartless declarations
stretch over decades
strain to accomplish
what once took an hour, two at most.
We are too civilized
For barbaric rituals
breaking hearts instead of bodies
requires less fortitude
less physical strength
fewer explanations
and leaves no unsightly corpse.
