Justitia

“Lady Justice” by Chad Ewalt

Why do we tolerate
your systemic insult to Rawls
who encrowned you,
empowered you,
first among virtues?

You pose finely gowned,
concealing a womb
inhospitable,
hostile, where
injustice now incubates.

Why use the might
of your double-edged sword
to slash at the very
innocent victims
imploring your redress?

When did your scales
become so unbalanced,
weighed heavy
with predisposition
for miscreants?

How did the gauze
slip loose from your eyes?
And what drew their
conscious assent
to cultural vagaries?

Our system of justice
is broken, unfair
perhaps past repair,
its moral authority
melting now circles the drain.