Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

But since I’ve sinned, I lie awake and wait upon my chosen fate.

I wonder here, day in day out, how long before my cell’s without

A man who sinned, a man who wronged, a man whom now society owns.

For while my hands are stained with blood, a crime which I should not have done,

You mustn’t fool yourselves as God and “fairly” take my life, my blood.

My crime was individualized, in an attempt to keep my pride.

You cannot know what it is like; you’ll never understand my strife.

And while this does not make it right nor justify taking a life,

You cannot base your rationale on studies non-empirical.

If culture has decided fate, and culture lends a narrow gate,

Then even innocents may fall, precluding justice for us all.

You say that killing me will show the others how their lives will go

If they proceed to do the same, to take a life, erase a name.

Yet even those from learned schools resist the notions of your rules,

Disproving what you thought to be a win for all society.

You thought by taking eye for eye you’d increase the size of the pie

And rid of those who have no worth, who wasted their time on this Earth,

But that’s not how it ought to be; though I have wronged, please hear my plea.

For people sin and people curse, some change their ways and some get worse

When in the penitentiary, but there’s that possibility

Of turn around, of reconcile, of innocents found on new trials.

Until you show me there is proof that deterrence is not a spoof,

Then I will fight for second chances, I will push for humane stances.

Yes, I’ve sinned, and yes, I’ve cursed, but who’s to say that you’re not worse

By placing me in final sleep, a sleep for which my soul shall weep?