It took more than twenty minutes

For those killing drugs to work

For more than twenty minutes we

Watched that body writhe and jerk

Until it was pronounced that 

The drugs had finally won

And in the name of the State

Justice had been done.

A convicted killer

The State said had to die

But in such a public manner, 

I asked myself why;

Justice or was it revenge

I wouldn’t like to say

But it was carried out 

In a cold barbaric way.

The law required

That I witnessed this act.

I did my civic duty but

Am appalled by the fact.

An eye for an eye

A tooth for a tooth;

There are so many shades of gray

That go to make up the truth.