Cannot Say I Envy George Pell Poem by Francis Duggan

Sexual crimes against children one could never condone
But leave it to the one without sin to cast the verbal stone
For his crimes against children Cardinal George Pell has been made to pay
He is in a Melbourne prison and there for awhile will stay

Well into his seventh decade two years short of four score
His title of Cardinal may not be with him for long more
He may never again be welcome in Rome
A Melbourne prison to him now is home

Those he should have been protecting he sadly did fail
George Pell had a fair trial he now is in jail
A bleak ending to his life it seems he must face
This once powerful man who has fallen from grace

He has lost many friends in his home City of Ballarat
But it is not for me to be his judge though plenty willing to do that
He is now paying the price for his criminal acts of the past
He is not the first to have fallen from grace and he will not be the last

His Order of Australia and Cardinal titles he soon may lose
Cannot say I envy George Pell or would wish to live in his shoes
Where he lives today angels do not dwell
No more glory days for the ageing George Pell.