Perhaps you don't know
about the events I claim.
Though even if you do,
it should effect you the same.
Tom Robinson stood
on the witness stand,
waiting for the prosecution's
blow to land.
His lawyer wiped
the sweat off his brow.
They were going to make it,
they had to, somehow.
A little boy in the loft
started to weep bitter tears,
revealing all of
their deepest fears.
The jury left
the silent courtroom.
The trial had been a blur,
it was over too soon.
They spent hours deciding
the fate of a man
who had done nothing wrong
but was still in their hands.
Finally, the doors
of the chamber flew open,
but among them
not a word was spoken.
"Tom Robinson is guilty,"
they finally said,
and both defendant and lawyer
looked as one dead.
The children cried out,
the old men frowned,
but everyone knew why
Tom had been downed.
For you see, Ladies and Gentlemen
of the courthouse today,
Tom Robinson didn't do it,
no matter what the Ewells say.
For one reason,
and that one reason alone,
he was found guilty.
That reason must be known.
Tom was black
and the Ewells were white,
and that fact did not
escape the jury's sight.
They found a man,
innocent as snow
guilty of a crime,
of the blackest sort I know.
If skin was an indication
of the measure of a soul,
than Tom would be white,
and the Ewells darker than coal.
But sadly enough,
that isn't the way our world runs.
Now because of that jury,
Mr. Robinson was shot by guns
in an attempt to escape
from the world measured by skin
where no one sees
the man within.
Land of the free
and home of the brave
has nothing to do
with this world today.
Were we all equally free,
Tom Robinson would still be alive,
and Robert Ewell
would have to fight to survive.
Now give me a good reason why
Mr. Robinson lost that trial
and I'll tell you
who's sunken into denial
about the flaws in our court system
and what must be done
to fix it so that
all men are one.
I apologize if
this is harsh on your ear,
but I must applaud you
because at least you bother to hear.
about the events I claim.
Though even if you do,
it should effect you the same.
Tom Robinson stood
on the witness stand,
waiting for the prosecution's
blow to land.
His lawyer wiped
the sweat off his brow.
They were going to make it,
they had to, somehow.
A little boy in the loft
started to weep bitter tears,
revealing all of
their deepest fears.
The jury left
the silent courtroom.
The trial had been a blur,
it was over too soon.
They spent hours deciding
the fate of a man
who had done nothing wrong
but was still in their hands.
Finally, the doors
of the chamber flew open,
but among them
not a word was spoken.
"Tom Robinson is guilty,"
they finally said,
and both defendant and lawyer
looked as one dead.
The children cried out,
the old men frowned,
but everyone knew why
Tom had been downed.
For you see, Ladies and Gentlemen
of the courthouse today,
Tom Robinson didn't do it,
no matter what the Ewells say.
For one reason,
and that one reason alone,
he was found guilty.
That reason must be known.
Tom was black
and the Ewells were white,
and that fact did not
escape the jury's sight.
They found a man,
innocent as snow
guilty of a crime,
of the blackest sort I know.
If skin was an indication
of the measure of a soul,
than Tom would be white,
and the Ewells darker than coal.
But sadly enough,
that isn't the way our world runs.
Now because of that jury,
Mr. Robinson was shot by guns
in an attempt to escape
from the world measured by skin
where no one sees
the man within.
Land of the free
and home of the brave
has nothing to do
with this world today.
Were we all equally free,
Tom Robinson would still be alive,
and Robert Ewell
would have to fight to survive.
Now give me a good reason why
Mr. Robinson lost that trial
and I'll tell you
who's sunken into denial
about the flaws in our court system
and what must be done
to fix it so that
all men are one.
I apologize if
this is harsh on your ear,
but I must applaud you
because at least you bother to hear.