Do Those Who Decide Poem by Francis Duggan

Do those who decide others must die though heinous be their crime
Deserve to be remembered in story, song and rhyme
I just put to you that question the answer to it in yourself you'll find
Since after all we all are born with an individual mind.

For any crime of any sort does one deserve to die
The greatest criminals were born innocent of sin as much as you or i
And those who decide to have them put to death have they that moral right?
They seem so convinced of their righteousness that their souls are bereft of light.

They call themselves God fearing and quote from the bible at their will
But they ignore the fifth commandment which states thou shalt not kill
Are they any less guilty than the one whose life they choose to take
When you rob the mother of her child you cause so much heartbreak.

Personally i believe the greatest criminal too has a right to live
Any human should not take the life of another human since to the dead we cannot give
Back to them the gift of life penal servitude seems quite enough
To condemn one to die for any reason than fair seems far more tough.