150 Years
One hundred fifty years for Madoff
are surely an untimely trade-off
for billions that he ripped off traders,
abetted by his trading aiders
like Ezra Merkin, for example,
whose clients used to love to sample
the high returns they would earn,
invested Ponzily by Bern,
whom they believed to be a wizard
before their money in a blizzard
blew away without a trace
in the Wall Street marketplace.
Measuring his measured time,
those who’ve suffered from his crime
will find that such revenge is not
as sweet as they might hope. No knot
is tied around his neck, though they
might hope there would be one. Each day
that he survives they feel the pain
of loss from their aborted gain,
but money won’t come back again
despite their punitive disdain,
so prison has to be the trade-off
for fortunes they all lost to Madoff.
Lock him up and throw away
the key, vindictive people say,
as if the freedom they deprive
him of will help them to survive,
though barring of the prison gate
will in no way redeem their fate.
Serving at the haughty pleasure
of a judge is no fair measure
for measure. Custody vendettas
transform the judges to abettors
of the worst hubristic crime:
purloining, like death’s angel, time,
so prisoners are forced to dwell
outside the real world, in a cell.
Life sentences that judges give
are proof that they’ve failed to forgive
the trespasses of other men
as God will ours, we hope. Amen.
Inspired by the Judge Denny Chin’s sentence of Bernie Madoff to 150 years for having committed what was perhaps the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Judge Chin, a Princeton graduate who was born in Hong Kong, and appointed to the bench by President Clinton, says that he received a hundred letters recommending that Madoff be severely punished, and not a single letter arguing for clemency. Such unanimity invalidates a capital case, according to Jewish law, where a death sentence may not be fulfilled unless some judges dissent with the verdict.
While I wrote this poem, my genius granddaughter Ada, who is considered to be less a genius than her sister Eve, presumably because she is a poet and the world despises poets, wrote her first poem, which she called “Heart and Flowerbed”.
6/30/09
poem by Gershon Hepner
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Chasing Madoff
Frank Casey, Neil Chelo, Gaytri Kachroo, Bernie Madoff, Harry Markopolos, Michael Ocrant,
by Jeff Prosserman from Chasing Madoff (2011)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Regent's Court
Regent's court
Is the court were the police brings the criminals to be sentenced
Every singe day during the week
Some criminals caused serious offences in the city
That they need to be punished by the Regent's court
Also some of the Judges will be hard on the criminals
Because they need to pay for what they done to their victims
And the crown procecutor also works with the judges at Regent's court
But the criminals have their lawyers at the court that defends the Criminals because the criminals are their clients
When the day comes for the judges at the Regent's Court to deliver The sentence for each criminal every single day they will be there At The Regent's Court every single day giving the sentence to the criminals depending on what crime they commited like assault, Domestic violence, child abuse,
Drug trafficking, manslaughter, and murder
For first degree murder is 25 years and for the second degree murder is less
poem by Aldo Kraas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Our Canadian Courts
Our courts have gone too soft and what can we do?
As blatant criminals walk out the door and wave adieu,
Appointed judges seem to think that they have every right,
To give lenient sentences that can cause community plight.
Wheeling and dealing in order to get the trial finished quicker,
Plead guilty to this and walk on that, defence lawyers snicker,
No specified jail time laid down for certain vicious crimes,
So the judge can let criminals walk for the fourth or fifth time.
Or they can move on and appeal to the appointed Supreme Court,
Could take years of legal maneuvering of every sort,
The same appointees that allowed abortions on every street,
Dressed in funny looking gowns to show that they are elite.
We have to change things around with laws to make it more strict,
That when the evidence is there - no deals - they have to convict,
And mandatory compulsory jail time for each and every crime,
So the appointed judges can’t let them walk numerous times.
Feb 1st,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Love Is A Crime
Oooh Yeah
Chicago
If love is a crime baby
I'd do my time
Whether it's wrong or right
You can sentence me to life
If love is a crime baby
I'd do my time
Whether it's wrong or right
You can sentence me
Sentence me to life
Some might say I'm guilty of loving the first degree
If the jury wants to lock me up and throw away the key
There's no greater punishment than what I face inside
Won't tamper with the evidence cause there's nothing to hide
(He lives inside my heart)
(I'm in the middle too)
I'm in the middle too
(You never had a clue)
Unless you felt it too
(If love is a crime) baby
I'd do my time
(Whether it's wrong or right)
(You can) sentence me
Sentence me to life
(If love is a crime) baby
I'd do my time
(Whether it's wrong or right)
You can sentence me
Sentence me to life
Better tell the truth, just let me plead my case
The thief who stole my heart from me I couldn't let escape
He's my only alibi, but I won't drop a dime
So how can I give up to you, my partner in crime
(He lives inside) my heart
(I'm in the middle too)
Ooh yeah yeah
(You never had a clue)
Unless you felt it too
(If love is a crime) baby
I'd do my time
Whether it's wrong or right
You can sentence me
Sentence me to life
(If love is a crime) baby
I'd do my time
Whether it's wrong or right
You can sentence me
(Sentence me to life)
You can take away my freedom
But you can't take my love from me
I won't die a lonely prisoner
'Cause my heart will set me free
Oooh ooh yeah
Whooh!
Chicago
-acapo
song performed by by Anastacia
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Prisoner
Convicted I am now of an offense called 'Love'
The prison I am in is but a broken heart
The penance I must serve is to forever weep
With the aid of this poem, I am trying to escape
I clearly remember the offense that I had
I attempted to steal another woman's love
A love not half as much as that for you I feel
A love I never thought, would end my every dream
To reenter your heart, truly I did repent
With the hope that once more, your love I will regain
Sorrow was unto me, when I knew in the end
That the door of your heart for me is tightly sealed
And instead here's what happened you have imposed on me
A penalty much more than death, I've to serve painfully
The plaintiff were your lips, the jury is your mind
And your heart is the judge who tries me and decides
I'm appealing to you now in the court of love
The offense I admit, a plea of guilt I lodge
The decision I beg is a sentence of life
And that my prison be none but your loving heart
poem by Pacific Hernandez
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Judge
Judge is not here to decide
Who is winner and who is loser.
Judge is here to decide
Who is in right point.
No judge is empower to
Pronounced death sentences
No judge has got power
To give life to the lifeless.
Judge can not decide
The synonyms and antonyms
Judge can not say
The right source for right word.
Judge is not judge
So long as the judge is mortal
Judge is judge
If judge is eternal.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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Sonnet: Earthly Judgements are Fallible
Let no Man judge a man for any crime;
Let none sentence him to great punishment;
For land to land, there is a changing clime;
Laws vary under the same firmament.
Accused is not always, guilty of charge;
Many a time, you can't prove innocence;
Many a criminal is always at large;
Sometimes, the law appears to be nonsense.
And these are days of high-tech cyber-crime;
Some heinous crimes occur in lock-ups too;
The crime when done, reforming man is prime;
'Tis natural for cows to only 'moo'.
Forgive the offender and win his heart;
To love your enemy worst, is an art.
poem by John Celes
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The poem and her poet
Death once told poor life defeated by life:
Life's no life if lived on the edge of knife,
No more a struggle, nor is full of strife,
Do ye know how many deaths is Death rife?
Death's all death; the same is not true of life,
Life tries to knot her up snaps when death's knife,
But I've heard a man asking on death bed,
Pray, tell me Death, how long ere I'm all dead?
To him, said death, straightening up his head,
Moments might when look like minutes of dread,
Minutes stretch and stretch into hours, instead,
When hours take days, and days, years, you are dead.
Remember, life's lived moment to moment,
‘Tis measured too in a moving moment,
Forget not: Death alone is permanent,
I dwell in life from birth, live life dormant;
There's no freedom in life, nor should death call,
Death changes but the bricks of prison wall,
All quarrels ‘tween life and death, big and small,
Settled are, death when proves him far too tall.
Life is a small piece, but a paragraph
Of my poem, said Death, metre nor measure but in half,
Life may decide every new beginning,
But ‘tis me that knows the length, knows ending.
Eons pass sans measure for endless time,
While no clocks tick, nor dare their hours to chime,
Boulders of rocks break down whilst time stands still,
O grinding into grains of sands sans will.
While life is stuck with my poem's first rhyme,
Death challenged life to dare the worst she can,
I'm the Absolute trouser wearing man1,
I wonder how relative would tick time!
_____________________________________________ ___________
1. Death muses himself to be the male principle, the purusha.
The poem stands for life and prakriti. The piece here depicts
a dialogue between Life, or the matter, the poem and her
creator poet, the Death. In Indic philosophy, purusha is the
presiding deity, the atman or soul, which is eternal and body
is made of prakriti, the material nature, which is death-bound.
_____________________________________________ __________________
- Musings | 12.08.12 |
poem by Aniruddha Pathak
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What Is A Jewish Poem?
WHAT IS A JEWISH POEM?
What is a Jewish poem?
‘Shema’ is a Jewish poem
Perhaps the Jewish poem-
'Shmoneh Esreh' is comprised of Jewish poems
Nineteen prayers as one-
Our history is filled with Jewish poems-
From the beginning with Abraham and Sarah
Those who have given so much beyond our understanding -
Jewish poems everywhere -
Is each Jewish life a poem and a story also?
Or is it only those who give something to our people and history
Who are worthy of Poetry?
I have known many Jewish poems
People the great world will not know the names of
People who whether they walked humbly or not
Made the lives of others better in some way –
Kindness is perhaps the ultimate Jewish poem
And Justice also-
And Jewish poems are not without their contradictions –
As I write this poem in Jerusalem in the land of Israel
I think of the small Jewish world of Troy New York where I came from so many years ago
And miss so many people no longer of that and this world –
Longing for Israel for two thousand years was the Jewish poem
Living here now is a blessing and a gift
I thank God for.
poem by Shalom Freedman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Roof Top Poet
He was known as the roof top poet
He was good, but he wouldn’t show it.
He wrote about everything on the streets
While listening to the Latin beat.
His upbringing inspired him
To write about crime and sin.
He wrote about street drugs everywhere
And dirty needles that they would share.
He played the conga and bongos too
This is what he had learned to do.
There was not a topic that he would not touch
For he loved life much to much.
He wrote about robberies, muggings
And murder, prostitution, gambling
Corruption and all the rest
His talent for street writing made him the best.
But there was a soft side to him
That people did not know
And where ever children needed him
He would go.
He was a volunteer in the children s hospital
And the orphanages too, which was
Something that nobody knew.
He would give them love, affection, and laughter
Wealth or fame he wasn’t after.
He gave them the key elements for the
Children to survive, HOPE, LOVE, FAITH
With hope in their hearts and faith in GOD
There was nothing that they could not do.
If to themselves they would be true.
Now if we could be such as HE
The world would be better for the children you see.
HOPE IS THE KEY TO SET YOURSELF FREE
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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By What Authority Saul's Plan For Damascus?
After arresting putting these people in prison;
Saul learned about their Christian friends
in Damascus by getting letters from prisoners?
What fate then did Saul desire for Christ's followers?
'I persecuted to the death the people who followed
this Way. I arrested men and women and threw
them into prison. The High Priest and the whole Council
can prove that I am telling the truth. I received
from them letters written to fellow Jews in Damascus,
so I went there to arrest these people and bring
them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.' Acts 22: 4-5.
Split imaging from the poem ‘Transformation Inquisition Saul Into Paul Of Tarsus'.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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To My Unborn Children
To my unborn children
To my unborn children
Just remember daddy loves you
Hope the lord’s looking after you
In case god judges me differently
I just want to tell you this
I’ve learned many things, As I’m blessed and still living
Thinking about my past, yeah reminiscing
My mum was a alone, single parent but proud
I love you mum and I’m saying it loud
I’ve only got one life to live
I hope god can forgive me for my sins
I promise I’ll never lie, cheat or steal again
My only friend is pain and misery
Cos of all the agony that certain people gives to me
See my life isn’t great but it'll sure get better
Hope you understand my love letter,
I'm writing you this letter
It’s to my unborn children
Want to let you know that I love you
Please believe that I feel this way
I think about you every day
And I have so much to say
It's hard to face this, cold world on a good day
When will they let us have our say?
I was in an RTA and yeah I'm still breathing
Got to be proof there’s a god if you’re looking for a reason
Can I believe in my own fate
Have to learn on my own now
I want to make it on my own
Yeah I don’t want no handouts
I don’t want any fuss when it’s my time to die
Don’t worry about me
I’ll be up in the skies
Trust me I won’t be feeling any pain
Cos I’ll get to see my unborn children again
I'm writing you this letter
It’s to my unborn children
Want to let you know that I love you
Please believe that I feel this way
I think about you every day
And I have so much to say
Dear lord hear me when I say
Look after my unborn children
Cos I will take over from you one day
Until that day will my children get to feel love?
Better still if you do will you show them enough?
Oh how I wish they were here
Maybe I should try and change
Then my outlook on life would be more tame
I hate this tough decisions game
Every time I look out at the pounding rain
I see their faces staring back at me
And I'm sorry for not being there
Just know your daddy is a fighter, me against the world
Bless the children of his earth
To the Lord when it’s my turn
May I eternally rest in your peace
So I can take care of my unborn children
I would look after them now
I’m stretching up with my fingertips
I’m so close, yet still so far out of reach
I'm writing you this letter
It’s to my unborn children
Want to let you know that I love you
Please believe that I feel this way
I think about you every day
And I have so much to say
To my unborn children, please forgive me
This letter goes out to you to hopefully make you see
That daddy thinks about you daily
mummy and daddy loves you, we’ve got nothing but love for you
Hope you got a good life up there with the lord
One day we’ll be up there with you
Please, please understand
Just know we got love for you
We’ll see you soon up there in heaven
Take care my children, take care
Have fun and be smart
Stay together and you’ll be okay
I know sometimes you look down on us...confused
But hopefully daddy’s thoughts and prayers will help you get through everyday
Cos when I die my spirit will fly determinedly your way
By Jay Basey © 2009
poem by J.M. Basey
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The poet judges not as a judge judges but as the sun falling around a helpless thing.
quote by Walt Whitman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Do not Judge me (First Poem Submitted)
As I stand before you
with the reality of the shame of my sins in my arms.
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
You do not know the pains I have suffered,
As you look at me like I am a demon from the pits of Hell.
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
Picture youself alone as I, needing the comfort and touch of another.
Would you not do the same?
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
And my child has already been marked like a person with the plague.
Not given a chance,
Do not judge him,
You do not know him.
We all have sinned and it is not our job to judge,
So do not judge me.
You do not know me.
(I wrote this after watching Scarlett Letter)
poem by Tamara Daniel
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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In England the judges should have independence to protect the people against the crown. Here the judges should not be independent of the people, but be appointed for not more than seven years. The people would always re-elect the good judges.
quote by Andrew Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Long Arm Of The Law
In cumberland kentucky
On a cool hot evening
Billy lay in love with marrianne
She was a rich judges daughter
He was a son of a miner
But that night their love was more than they could stand
The judge said to his daughter
That son of that coal miner
Is someone youll go hell to leave alone
She knew his dad so well
She knew she couldnt tell
But the truth was bound in show before too long
Their love had started growing on its own
You cant out run the long arm of the law
No, you cant out run the long arm of the law
Billy placed his hand on mary
And he felt the babys moving
Kissed her and said Ill see you when I can
The judge had made a promise
When he caught up with billy
Hed sent him far away from marianne
The whole town knew hed do it
Too many times hed proved it
To at least a hundred men behind the wall
Hed smiled behind that frown
And when he brought that gavel down
He called himself the long arm of the law
And hed set his mind on seeing billy fall
In a hot humid mine shack
A mid-white pulled the sheet back
And placed cool damp towel on marianne
Billys eyes were wide with wonder
From the spell he was under
When she placed the new born baby in his hands
He didnt hear the siren
Just a babys crying
That miracle of love was all he saw
When the door came crashing down
And billy turned around
He felt the heart and soul inside him fall
He stood face to face
With the long arm of the law
You cant out run the long arm of the law
No, you cant out run the long arm of the law
You can hide out for a while
He says with a smile
But you cant out run the long arm of the law
Seemed like everybody down in cumberland kentucky
Came out that day to see poor billys trial
The court was called to order
There sat the judges daughter
She looked so proud
Holding billys child
When they brought billy to him
The judge just look right thru him
As he held that holy Bible in his hand
And he smiled at his grandson
Then his eyes cut back to billy
And said I think this time
The law will understand
Son, I sentence you to live with marianne
You cant out run the long arm of the law
No, you cant out run the long arm of the law
He said to billy with a smile
I know you hide out for a while
Ah but you cant out run the long arm of the law
No you cant out run the long arm of the law
song performed by by Kenny Rogers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Viola Lee Blues
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it.
Clerk he wrote it down indeed-e
Judge decreed it, clerk he wrote it down
Give you this jail sentence youll be nashville bound
Some got six month some got one solid.
Some got one solid year indeed-e
Some got six month some got one solid.
But me and my buddies all got lifetime here
I wrote a letter I mailed in the air, mailed it on the air indeed-e
I wrote a letter I mailed in the air.
You may know by that Ive got a friend somewhere
song performed by by Grateful Dead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The future of Social Security?
“The trust fund, Men, is nearly spent.
The well is running dry”
“What will we tell the peasants
who expect pie in the sky? ”
“We must find a hero
to restore tranquility-
“Someone who’s a flim flam man
to the nth degree.”
With Obama much too busy
to calm the masses now.
They bailed Bernie Madoff out
to milk the sacred cow.
The checks went out as usual
Folks took them to the bank.
By noon the checks began to bounce
which made the markets tank.
Riots and disturbances-
Grey Panthers roam the streets.
While somewhere Charlie Ponzi smiles
Secure in his conceit..
poem by John F. McCullagh
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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My Aunt's Murder
She was a gentle elderly lady
Who was always helping everyone, not shady
She tended to the sick and gave to the poor
She loved all so much, she was so pure
She had a cat, she loved so much
That was always in her lap, in her clutch
She left the garage door, cracked opened each day
She never worried about being another's prey
One day on the couch, she sat reading a book
When in her garage door entered a crook
She screamed and she cried, 'What are you doing here? '
He grabbed her by the throat and she was in great fear
He stayed and tortured her for so many hours
She was so overcome by his strenght and powers
I feel great sorrow as I write this story
Her murder was mother's day, much to his glory
I was at her trial, November of last year
And since her death, I've shed many a tear
He sat there glaring at us so proud
The picture's we saw, shouldn't have been allowed
I felt rage and grief and stared back at him
I hoped his outcome would be real grim
He said he was guilty when the judge asked how he pled
It took four days for the verdict to be read
I held my breath, while I awaited the sentence
I knew death should have been his pentence
The jury, they couldn't come to decision
The judge decided it would be life in prison
In Texas, that's not a long sentence to pay
You can get out in forty years, not another day
It was capitol murder and he should have got death
I will see he stay's in prison, till I take my last breath
The picture's that they showed, are etched in my mind
This animal shouldn't live among mankind
She is in heaven now, living with my mother
At least once more, they have one another!
poem by Donna Nimmo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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You Can 'Say' You Have Faith
I've lost everything.
My way of life.
My pride.
My happiness.
Everything!
'Gee.
Well...
At least there is something left you kept! '
And what is that?
'Your ability to show and tell!
You see that woman dragging that mink coat?
She can't say a word!
And look at that dude staggering across the street!
I bet you wouldn't believe this...
But just a few days ago,
They both told me...
I wasn't worth the air I breathe.
Of course...
That was before they were 'Madoff'ed.
Now look at them!
They are speechless!
And here you are...
Still able to speak!
And that is in your possession!
So 'all' is not lost.
Be grateful.
You can 'say' you have faith.
And maybe one day believe it!
Those folks invested in greed.
Now look at them.
They wouldn't know how to use a pot,
To piss in!
Trust me...
You've been blessed.
Just know it! '
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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