.

Justification

He smashed the windows, grabbed the wares,
With rage against society
That made him free of any cares
Or thoughts of impropriety.

He stole until his pockets filled
The chance of apprehension slim.
But near his home was robbed and killed
By someone angry just like him.

.

.

Qualifications

I’ll believe society has
Reached the proper track,
When outcomes are derived from skill,
Not skin that’s white or black.

.

.

Body Piercings at the Mall

The pretty woman in bright clothes,
A metal piercing on her nose.
More clustered right above her eyes,
That isn’t something I’d advise.
And those were just what I could see.
God only knows where more might be.

.

.

Russel Winick recently started writing poetry at nearly age 65, after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.

NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets.

The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.


Trending now:

20 Responses

  3. Cheryl Corey

    All three are terrific. You must have enough of these for a book.

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks Cheryl – you’re very kind. I’m still new to this, but always assumed that between formal verse and a conservative bent, etc., there aren’t book publishers out there looking for someone like me. If that’s wrong, it would be far from the first time ‍♂️.

      Reply
  4. Jeff Eardley

    Most enjoyable Russel, I particularly like “Body piercings at the Mall.” I often wonder why good looking ladies wish to deface themselves with metal. Nose rings are particularly ugly although a good receptacle for the car keys.

    Reply
  5. Margaret Coats

    Catchy poems all on “the proper track,” Russel. I really like “Justification,” but to make it perfect, I would put a comma after “filled.” With no punctuation there, I see an amusing little sentence telling us that his pockets (subject) filled (verb) the chance (direct object). Sounds like he put a lot of chips on the roulette table. Your conclusion shows the guy lost his gamble, but did you really want the casino distraction there?

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks much Margaret. And of course you are right about needing that comma. I appreciate your keen eye.

      Reply
  6. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Russel, your poetry is going from strength to strength… you capture the tragic with the magic touch of humor and fine poetry… both of which get the hard-hitting message across perfectly. Well done!

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks Susan. I’m flattered that my simple stuff appeals to such an artisan as yourself.

      Reply
  7. C.B. Anderson

    Some might say that you are cynical, but I think that any cynicism detected is just a side-effect of your being a realist

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks Cynthia. That poem is an amalgam of today’s looters and some talented but very angry young men I grew up with, who threw their lives away in various ways.

      Reply
  9. Adam Wasem

    “Justification” made me pause, “Qualifications” made me nod, and “Body Piercings at the Mall” made me smile. Can’t ask for more than that. Must be something about the malls here in Illinois…

    Reply
  10. Roy E. Peterson

    All three of your poems are a perfect match of humor with a serious and true message. They are all wonderful!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.