deciphering codes 2

I was going to share a line or two from this poem, but found it hard to share only this when the entire poem is golden and rich in meaning- too good not to share in its entirety. There are certain poems that speak deeply from the soul. This is one such written by Darrell Grayson, a death row inmate who was denied the chance of DNA testing proving his innocence. This poem describes a special catered dinner that takes place on the day of executions at Holman prison in Alabama.

A feast fitting for mortal souls ill-defined
Shall you partake in good cheer
The loss of souls with wine?

I am weary and questions 
Of this sort do baffle the mind. They
Take the Compassion out of the spine.

Ask yourselves, gentlemen,
What is loveliness of spirit?
And what constitutes the divine?

Life’s journey has surely shown you, that

Every wick and rake can tell you true
How a Spartan life is nothing to rue.
The following suit is perfected for you;

That souls are infinitely caressed,
For godly men are imminently blessed.

I’ve stood in the spring of this youth,
With my shadowy brow and social means, but
Now I’m a firmament of frivolity it seems.

Dying men don’t shout here’s mud in your eye
No, I decry it’s like this by and by.

Tell me true, should I go wrong,
Then nail my feet to the potter’s stone.
I’m not a child—I’m grown.
Just a verse in the hangman’s song.

It’s a valid supposition mortal men know.
Those of means get weak and never grow old.
Your aversion burns painfully low.

What is hate other than ignorance in defeat?
A feast of diabolical treat from a cat bird seat.
Hate like kissing babies’ cheeks. 
The fires of hell would not deter your sleep.

The wicked ruse is deceptively neat, 
Men debased ‘fore death in the keep. 

If they should die before I wake, 
See their eyes on your china plate, 
And I’ll drink their tears to your hellish fate. 
Your judgment should be like chalk on a slate. 

This is spurious of unrefined minds, 
I must away while the sun’s in decline, 
To fashion necklaces of hemp, 
For your damned have run out of time

"What is ignorance but hate in defeat? " 

So much of what Grayson says requires deciphering, it demands to be read, understood and conveyed for there is so much truth in it. The least I can do is share his story and raise awareness about wrongful convictions.

You can purchase Grayson's collection of poems here: https://www.amazon.com/Against-Time-Poems-Darrell-Grayson/dp/0975908324