Twenty one Years

"Guilty, as charged" came the reply.
Of a caper thought dastardly.
"Sentence shall commence
After the hearing was done."
The judge stated masterly.

The defendant rose, sullenly -
Tears in his eyes, he was sorry, after all.
It didn't matter, at that point,
To the law
They were going to make a call.


"Twenty-one years, not a second less"
Down the gavel came;
The condemned lowered his head
And closed his eyes,
Attempting to cover his shame.

What was the crime? The evil deed?
To bring someone so low?
Stealing a tractor for a joyride -
and leaving it buried in 10 feet of snow.

Why such a sentence?
What did it factor?
Only that it was the judge
Who owned the tractor

Line Count: 23


Writer's Cramp Prompt for 1/30/23 ▼

Write a puzzling story or poem about an innocent victim convicted and imprisoned twenty-one years for an unusual crime. Why twenty one years? What happens?

Make one of the genre mystery.