18 stanzas. Probably the longest one I have or will write. And I'm not sure it's even done yet.
Please tell me I haven't gone insane.
I don't even have a name for it yet.
Can you see me? Do you care?
Can you see me as I stare?
Looking at me as I cry.
Looking at me eye to eye.
Are you the only one that saw,
How I was treated by the law?
Are you the only one so kind,
To let me put my past behind?
You look at me like you can see,
Every scar that's hurting me.
Every word, the thoughts that stung,
And the rope from where I'd hung.
Can you see me, and my past?
Do you hate me? Will that last?
Can't you see my horrid end?
And the hope no one would lend?
I hope you never live to see,
Everything they did to me.
I hope you walk away right now
And never ask the why or how.
But because I know you will,
And now I have all death to kill,
I hope that you will live to tell,
Why they tried sending me to hell.
My story starts three years to date,
When they had started all this hate.
The law, it dictates write from wrong,
And where and how I should belong.
They thought that they knew everything,
But they were wrong, them and the King.
So I came in, I took a stand,
And they backed me up across the land.
But all too soon it crashed and burned.
And through mistakes I sought to learn.
I tried again, knew we might fail,
But two years later, thought we'd prevail.
I was so stupid, I see it now,
But all the same, I wonder how.
They learned my name, learned how I tried,
To overthrow them and their pride.
They started hunting here and there,
My name and face were everywhere.
They took my friends and tortured them,
And still I couldn't turn me in.
And this is how the guilt devours
All my heartless deathly hours,
I thought if I would win the war,
The pain would end forevermore.
Again, I tell you, I was wrong.
It was an act, me being strong.
The resistance ended, all were caught,
Including me. Then I was shot.
They missed my heart by inches mere,
And even though the pain would sear,
I was alive. But no more to say,
'Cept I was murdered. Yesterday.
Can you see me and forgive,
Everything I did to live.
I brought more rules down on you all.
I only wanted them to fall.
And this is why I say tonight,
You have to try with all your might,
Forget all now. All that I've said.
Forget every tear that I had shed.
And if you have this memorized,
Every word. All my cries.
Then I beg of you, keep this in sight,
Tonight I tell you, keep the fight.
All these laws must come to end,
So maybe you'll be free again.
And maybe then you can undo,
Every wrong I brought to you.