Hidden Voting Travesty Poem by Greg Gaul

There's a subversive plot afoot many do not note,
A hidden plan on national scale to manipulate the vote.
American leaders instituted a conspiracy to lie,
Millions lost their right to vote out of the public eye.
After southern reconstruction anti suffrage tool its place.
Many didn't realize it was all based on race.
Lawmakers took away prisoners' right to vote,
Convicted blacks denied in the laws they wrote.

A quarter of the world's people jailed are here,
sentenced to the maximum sentence.
Legislators intentionally violate minority right,
every time judges impose their sentence.
America has the world's largest population incarcerated,
Advocates have lobbied passionately but are exasperated.

Six million convicted voters are in play,
Election outcomes could start to sway.
National elections can be won or lost on a percent or two,
Prison votes could effect a difference, even if they're few.
You probably didn't connect prisoners to votes, nor did I
Until I understood the hidden reason why.
If I could wave a wand, this travesty would go away.
But all I can do is tell you and hope for a better day.