The Traveler's Trial
In a distant town by the rolling sea,
A traveler wandered, wild and free.
With weathered boots and a heart so kind,
He sought new roads, leaving none behind.
But one dark night beneath a moon so pale,
A scream was heard, a chilling wail.
The town awoke to find a dreadful sight
A lifeless body, lost to the night.
The whispers spread like wildfire’s flame,
And soon the traveler bore the blame.
"He was seen alone, he must be the one!"
The townsfolk shouted, “The deed is done.”
With shackled wrists and a heavy heart,
He pleaded his case but was torn apart.
"Not I," he said, "I’ve done no wrong!"
Yet judgment came swift, the night was long.
But just as dawn began to break,
A witness stepped forth for truth’s own sake.
"New evidence found, a shadowed clue
The real culprit stands among you!"
The case unraveled, a twist revealed,
The traveler’s innocence was now unsealed.
The town, ashamed, hung their heads low,
For they had judged before they'd known.
The traveler left, his name restored,
But taught a lesson with no reward:
"Before you judge, before you blame,
Seek the truth, for it speaks no shame."
For in haste, they nearly lost their way
Let justice come slow, let patience stay.