Justice is the art of carving

with an axe.

Everyone

loves a real artist, watches

to see how well the line is drawn,

to see

the magic of recognition

of character,

emerge on the page

or in the block of wood or stone.

A whack of the hammer

on the chisel, stone

bits flying

and look! There’s the likeness

and more

than a likeness - a new,

identical thing! But

don’t put your foot near the woodsman

who’s axe wanders.

The wood splits apart from the punishment

of near misses.

But the bloody thing is finally