Convict Poem by Paula Glynn

18th Century Pirate

The ship travelling on stormy waters
The crew tipping to and fro unable to stabilize her
Trying to keep the ship fairly steady
The pirates at a distance ready
To feign needing assistance
Getting closer from the distance.

The ship transporting goods
From England to a foreign country
Their goods to make them a fair bounty
Gold coins from previous journeys
In vast abundance on the ship
And the pirates knew this.

Gaining a bidding onboard
The pirates overpower the frightened crew
Taking in the spectacular seaview
And they tie the crew securely up
Stealing the gold coins and goods
Laughing as they sail off into the distance.

19th Century Bank Robber

Under the reign of Queen Victoria
The Victorians liked their materials
The age of materialism pending
Money in society supposedly pending
Money everyone to be hopefully depending
Material gained and letters of love everyone sending.

But not everyone had money:
Especially in the slums of Victorian Britain
And desperate times call for desperate measures
Where the soon-to-be bank robber dreams of treasures
Desiring the lifestyle of opulence
Desiring the freedom of money.

Unsuccessfully robbing a bank
He didn't get away with it
He further lost his yearned for freedom
He was now a convicted criminal
He now stared behind bare bars
He could never wish upon the stars.

20th Century The Troubles

Ireland in worse than dire straits
Ireland divided between protestant and catholic
The man a member of the IRA
The Irish Republican Army known by Britain
Innocent people caught in the line of fire
The death rate appallingly and much higher.

But the police were after IRA
Sending messages through the media
How brutal the troubles Ireland had to face
The political landscape a complicated place
A man now locked up: although his sacrifice
His actions remembered by the unfair world.

Convicted

Throughout time you're convicted
Left to wallow in self-pity behind harsh bars
Where you're left behind in the cold of your cell
The world faithfully recovering from your crimes
Your life spent doing torturous time
Yourself unable to see the truths the world holds