Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Justice, or Poetic Justice

"Justice was like coloured balls in a magician's hand, 

changing colour and shape all the time beneath the light of politics.” 

― Qiu Xiaolong

“Peace": the fruit of justice done especially to the Self.” 

― Alice Walker, The World Will Follow Joy: Turning Madness into Flowers

“The white man will never be alone. Let him be just, 

and deal kindly with my people. For the dead are not powerless.” 

― Chief Seattle, The Chief Seattle's Speech

“Justitia” by Bodo Kampmann.

Midweek Motif ~ Justice 

or Poetic Justice

Have you experienced or seen justice?  Whereas Justice is a social and legal concept, Poetic Justice is a literary device. I always found poetic justice much more satisfying! Examples of poetic justice:

• Disney films, most specifically animated films, often use poetic justice as an ending device with the hero being rewarded, and the villain being punished in ironic and, occasionally, fatal ways.
• The Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons feature repeated instances of poetic justice, as Wile E. Coyote always sets traps for Road Runner, only to end up in the traps himself.
• Oedipus Rex in trying to prevent his foretold fate brings it upon himself as does King Kamsa in the ancient Sanskrit story of Krishna.

Your Challenge:  Create a poem centering on Justice or Poetic Justice.  

Justice 

By Langston Hughes

That Justice is a blind goddess

Is a thing to which we black are wise:

Her bandage hides two festering sores

That once perhaps were eyes.

Why I Voted the Socialist Ticket

BY VACHEL LINDSAY

I am unjust, but I can strive for justice.

My life’s unkind, but I can vote for kindness.

I, the unloving, say life should be lovely.

I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness.

Man is a curious brute—he pets his fancies—

Fighting mankind, to win sweet luxury.

So he will be, though law be clear as crystal,

Tho’ all men plan to live in harmony.

Come, let us vote against our human nature,

Crying to God in all the polling places

To heal our everlasting sinfulness

And make us sages with transfigured faces.

Poem for Nana

BY JUNE JORDAN

What will we do

when there is nobody left

to kill?

       *

40,000 gallons of oil gushing into

the ocean

But I

sit on top this mountainside above

the Pacific

checking out the flowers

the California poppies orange

as I meet myself in heat

                           I’m wondering

where’s the Indians?

                           all this filmstrip territory

                           all this cowboy sagaland:

                           not

                           a single Indian

                           in sight

. . . .

(Read the rest HERE at The Poetry Foundation.)

#

For those who are new to Poets United: 

• Post your Justice poem on your site, and then link it here.
• Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
• If you use a picture include its link.  
• Please leave a comment here and visit and comment on our poems.

(Next Week's motif is Honoring our Elders)

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Auto-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.