In Defense

And now you know.

Led by me past my sharpened gates and solemn walls
The newly written scrolls
Told you my arcane secrets of bitter hate
sorrow
joy
and even my abstruse, twisted love.

I guided you in silence to my inner chamber
And I granted you the key without resistance
And in silence I responded
     as you filled the room
         with stacks of witnesses
     my soul, bleeding and frightened
          examined and engulfed.

I shuddered and quaked,
But did not change - I am still the man behind blue eyes.
And because you are all, all honourable men
I offered nothing in my defense.

And know that my silence is not a cause,
Nor a reason,
But instead an effect.
In my defense
I offered nothing.

Persecute me,
Imprison me,
Fine me.
In my defense
I offered nothing.

And now the Verdict has been reached.

I stood before your Judge.
Your God.
My Judgment Day has come.

He tells me that your God is your witness
And that I have none as my own.
He offered me nothing.

I am asked for my defense.

I have but one thing to say,
and I speak, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

And another says, "And the road to Heaven with good actions."

I look.

And there is but one beside me.

And in his defense

I offered everything.