i was a witness to an execution
and i stood there with my mouth agape
as women and men alike, shed tears
or stifled hate

i was a witness to an execution
and men in uniform delivered a final blow
and a final blow from a finaled man
had let us know

i was a witness to an execution
and there was no one else that saw it
there on that streetway, sidewalk, walkway
they all walked away

i was a witness to an execution
and a life went extinguished, a thought
went unknown, a sight went unshown,
a beggar to rot