Guilty

I gathered my strength

And in prayer loud, called out

Windlass Guards

Yield the chains!

I beg audience

With the Holy King

I need someone wise

To decide my fate

When my conscience

Born in innocence

Wants to plead guilty,

To the crime of being me.

It's hard to represent oneself

Humbly at the throne of the most high

Where purple reigns in splendour

But I hate feeling guilty,

I need someone wise

To see me bend my knee

To hear my plea.

I must be guilty of something.

An Imposter-Criminal

Prisoner of my own mind

As I worship my faults

Even the ones,

That aren't really there.

The Paparazzi of my heart

Patiently wait for imperfect me

To take their potshots

And sell my self-incrimination

To dismember my honour

I must be guilty of something.

An Imposter-Criminal

Prisoner of my own mind

As I worship my faults

Even the ones,

That aren't really there.

Arthur says come sit

Take a chair at his round table

All souls are equally guilty here

This truth keeps me up at knight

In this castle of lies,

The court Jester cries.

It's the High Court

Who forgives or casts out

Fools like us

It's hard to represent oneself

To sit judged by the jury of me

But I hate feeling guilty,

I need someone wise

To see me bend my knee

To hear my plea.

One hope remains

The High King who heard my plea

Said I see no sins I can't forgive

And the executioner is on holiday

But can be called back for me

If I can't accept his not guilty

Time to lower the drawbridge

To hurry on my way

And take integrity with me

© 2026 John Osinga. All rights reserved. St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.