[based on "Done in our Name" by an unknown author]
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I should have known
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we'd killed him
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Tuesday morning.
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I woke up strangely buoyant,
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whisteling a song
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As when I bent
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over the dictionary's c's
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boldface, at the corner,
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there to catch my eye,
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were corpse candle, cauterize
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and condemnation, cyanide
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I should have known then
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we'd killed him
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should have sensed the
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huge organism's
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sly joy, cat's paw
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Batting at his eye, in
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the chamber, out again
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cranky machinery of revenge
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grinding to and fro
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in the night
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in our name.
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One headline read "REPRIEVE"
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and just a block away
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another edition shouted "EXECUTED."
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It was done
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in our name.
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All our hands
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on the wheel
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that sealed him
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in the tomb.
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All our ears
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echoing with
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it's metallic clang.
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We all find ourselves
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murderers now
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participate in his death,
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no - even more than that
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We take part in his crime.
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Others are saddened,
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diminished or angry.
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But once it's done
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the clock has turned.
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It doesn't matter
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what we said.
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A man, a boy, is dead.
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It was done in the dark
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Tuesday morning
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in our name and all our hands
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-----------------
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Done In Our Name
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Anasarca |