Remain Silent

John Rutherford

July 1, 2022

The police have no duty to protect you,

the Court decided that in nineteen eighty-one

and now they don’t have to remind you

of your rights now, oh what fun!

Stare decisis thrown out the window,

a six-three ruling, so don’t commit

a crime without memorizing 

the warning from nineteen sixty-six.

You have the right to remain silent,

any peep could end up in court,

call a lawyer and keep quiet,

they’ll get you one if you’re too poor.

The cops, they don’t have to protect you,

or warn you of your rights at all,

so what again is their purpose?

I guess to make us all feel small.

If you find yourself in a cop car,

on the long ride to the jail

remember to keep your mouth shut

and maybe you might just make bail.

John Rutherford is a poet writing in Beaumont, Texas. Since 2018 he has been an employee in the Department of English at Lamar University.