Die-hards, for/against,
either side of the road
shuffle chilly and damp
eager to be first in line
for the big event,
restless for the gates to open
outside the Walls Unit,
proud home of Old Sparky
Hunched state troopers
shadowed under floodlights
linger for the final order,
midnight, standard time
for legal murder
by the State of Texas
What a country!
Any good old boy can stage
a lynching party
right here on the tailgate
of his very own automobile
Look at them, jostling around,
fists in the air with ideology
while the man inside the cell
digests his last platter
of tacos and ice cream
They can hardly wait
to cheer
Beats Christmas,
New Years,
and not one commercial