Who's to Judge

I sit in a raised box

among eleven others

while a judge (overly

fond of the qualifying

clause) delivers 

remarks about justice. 

I pay attention. I try

to map his reasoning

onto Boolean logic —

IF (x AND y) OR (NOT b)

OR k, THEN q, ELSE p — 

but I cannot parse.

When he asks me

if I believe I can weigh

evidence, make a judgment

based on the law

I say, I imagined I might

before you spoke

but you’ve convinced me

I cannot. He frowns.

He signals the clerk

to lead me down & out.

Had I stayed, I’d not

have played at being god.