Last Minute Musings of the Courtroom Poet

Posted on by evelyn

Tomorrow I march with my team into battle.

It’s hard to summarize the experience of a full day of competition (I spent thirty minutes trying to explain it to two team mates the other day starting with the moment you wake before dawn and with numb fingers put on your suit to the moment the trial begins) but in past I have tried to pin it down with poetical prose. The closest I ever got was this piece, where I played with a sonnet-like-sense of meter and tried to sprinkle some truth (like the part about hardly being able to reach the floor even with high heels ha) along with metaphors, similes, and slightly exaggerated images, that some how are (hopefully) a good picture of what it can be like. It’s not encompassing, but it gives a small sliver of a photo of those five seconds right before the round is called to order.

I share it honor of tomorrow (and as comic relief for all those tingling nerves. 😉 )

Soli Deo Gloria, my friends!

We are sitting in a cold wooden coffin;
A stiff suffocating box of dark foreboding panels
on which the paintings of old men
stare calmly down, pale faces, thinned hair,
a flag or state seal behind them.
I wonder if they ever used this chair.
It’s too bulky, too squeaky, and too tall
for me. I can barely reach the worn carpet floor,
even wearing high heels. The bailiff calls
and the judge strides through his personal door.
“All rise, all rise.” We all leap to our feet,
and my chair goes flying into my witness’s knees
While the opposing team rise from their seats,
I can only hope they’re more frightened than me.

The judge is watching us like a hawk
Down his endless beak, eyeing his prey from
his cushioned perch. There’s no noise – no talk –
no breath – and in the silence, I could swear
I heard him lick his lips and sniff.
We are even lined up at attention
for his convenience – all frozen stiff and
Ready for plucking if that be his inclination.

He scribbles some notes and raises his brow
They pump above his gleaming eyes,
as if breathing into a pair of forges now
Heating up to melt the next project that comes by.

He strokes his slick and shiny black feather coat
that glimmers even in the dusky yellow glare
Of the lights buzzing and pulsing overhead,
Like the fear that burns and bubbles in our throat.
Then the moment has passed… how shall he tred?

Our hunter stalks to his chair, takes up his gavel – the appointed bait –
Clears his throat and calls the first one to the dinner plate.

Published by evelyn

heyo! my name is evelyn and i like things like stories, people, elephants, hot tea, chocolate, dancing in the rain and reading poetry out loud in the dark and also driving with the windows down and music up. i name my plants weird names.

43 thoughts on “Last Minute Musings of the Courtroom Poet”

  3. One of the strangest pep talks I have ever received… Now topped easily by this chilling, horrifying poem which strikes down to my deepest core. Thank you Evelyn, for everything. Including making me far more nervous than I was before 😉
    Love ya girl and I cannot wait to rock this with you tomorrow. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Aaaaah nuuuu. That’s not how it was suppose to work. 😭 Wow I’m doing a terrible job. 🙄
      Listen
      WE GOT THIS
      You have been doing amazingly and you will only continue to do so. You have worked hard and everything will come together.
      GO NORTHVIEW
      🙌

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Yessss we will conquer the courtroom and send all the jury members to their knees with emotions and awe.
          [nooooo *cries* *changes strategy and begins sending P&P gifs*]

          Liked by 1 person

  4. Best of luck tomorrow! I’ve done debate before, but nothing nearly like this. Judging by that incredibly descriptive poem, it sounds rather terrifying. Also kind of cool because I imagine it’s the perfect place to sound dramatic without getting too many odd looks. xD

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Ohmygoodness, Evelyn, you gave ME goosebumps and I’m not even remotely related to what is happening tomorrow!! 😱😂
    I hope you have fun and everything goes absolutely amazing!! 😍 Y’ALL ARE GONNA KNOCK IT OUTTA THE PARK!!!! *cheers*

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Good luck on trial tomorrow! This poem perfectly draws emotions like excitement and nervousness from me as I read it, which I am sure it is like on mock trial. Best of luck to the team!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Wow!! I haven’t participated in a mock trial, but I’ve been to a few because I have a lot of friends who do CC.

    THIS POEMMMMMMM

    girl, this is so aesthetically accurate. like how can you totally recreate that vibe.

    Liked by 1 person

        3. Ahhh, well since I don’t feel comfortable giving away contact information to someone I don’t know (no offense! 😝) I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass.
          If it was about a collaboration or something of that sort, I would have to turn you down anyways – I’m sorry for the inconvenience!

          Liked by 1 person

  16. […] This past weekend was my team’s first tournament this season, so in honor of having my hands full of that, I decided to dust off this never-published post. I wrote it a few nights before our regional competition last year but did not have time to finish it before the week was out. Instead I ended up posting a poem which likened a judge to a hawk. (if you missed it you can read it here.) […]

    Like

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