Vehmic

 judges and jurors secret

and beyond the law but sworn

to champion justice and render

swift punishment to oath-breakers

in the name of the holy roman emperor

positive they knew the guilty

loss before listen

quiet one’s smile

lost in the self-assurance

that he knows how things ought to be

point taken, he believes, as he listens

but his pre-judgement means

he never he never heard

what she tried to tell him