(After reading “The Trial of Julian Assange” by Nils Melzer and after W.B. Yeats)
I Say that Julian Assange
Has paid a heavy toll.
He lies in Belmarsh Prison;
His liberty they stole.
Incensed their crimes were published
And with no remorse or shame,
They began to undermine him
And ruin his good name.
Due process was subverted
As they swiftly turned the screw;
Claims they spread around the world
Now shown to be untrue.
And those that took their poisoned pens
And joined the smear campaign
Betrayed their own profession –
Their malice all too plain.
Come The Guardian, come all the press
That fuelled this cruel charade,
Come defend Assange in public
That some amends be made.
His life lies in the balance,
Now craft your headlines well
To stop his extradition
And free him from his cell.
– Timothy McCord has a passion for writing poetry. He lives in France, where he taught English for many years. Timothy was born and grew up in Britain, and became politically active there through his involvement in the anti-apartheid movement. He contributed it to The Palestine Chronicle.
