OUCH!

When I got there
I wasn’t prepared
To see a pair
Of people wear-
Ing the same uniform
This wasn’t norm-
Al but then again
I couldn’t recall when
I last had a day
When things seemed okay

They said I was busted
By the company I trusted
To sell me an eMac
Then I was told to get in the back
And instead of Miranda
What I heard made my hair stand up

One said, “ We know it was you, you subhuman piece of rubble
Now tell us the truth and save us all a lot of trouble”
I didn’t speak but sat and stared in disbelief
As cop number one went on in tones designed to cause grief:
“ If you don’t name names or confess to the major infraction
My partner may be forced to take very unpleasant action.”

Before what I’d been through
Being grilled by those two
Would have made me consumed with fright
My sense of courage exceeded
Sane limits as I said that I needed
To be freed since he didn’t read me my rights

Then he looked at me like I acted like Tom Cruise
And asked how I didn’t know. Did I not watch the news?

I phrased it differently, but said I was busy as a bee
Over the past week and didn’t have much time to watch TV

Cop Two asked where I was when I wasn’t at my place
And told me if I didn’t tell he’d hit me in the face
So I braced myself for the pain I knew
Would come soon and in fact did ensue

Now I would be lying if I said I wasn’t crying
In no position for confession; with no desire for denying

Which eventually led to half-hearted apologizing
From the policeman whose fists had not been flying –
Partially because he was too busy driving

He said how the guy on the news show
Who they both revered like a saint
Said Congress said Miranda had to go
Because it was outdated and quaint

These desperate times called for desperate deeds
Those suspected of crimes now had the right to bleed
And they could follow the philosophy of Tom DeLay –
The cops are the government, so all they do is okay

And he said what I endured was barely within
The acceptable range of assault for the color of my skin
I whimpered that that sounded racist and then
I was called an ungrateful liberal and walloped again