The Empty Chair Poem by John F. McCullagh

an empty chair
that none will take..
A man in jail
for Freedom’s sake.

The honor of a Nobel prize
was viewed by China as offense-
They boycotted the Oslo fete
in honor of their dissident.

His wife is under house arrest
He is in his prison cell.
Why is China so afraid
Of what the prisoner might tell?

An empty chair
An unheard speech
A man imprisoned
For years, not weeks

An empty chair
An unheard plea
From one who’d rather
breathe air that’s free.