This small dusty book contains a poem

Written by a slave owner and is an account

Of the execution by hanging of one of his slaves

Who was accused of brutally raping

A white woman in her own house

It was written just over two hundred years ago

And is a fine and moving poem

Even though it was considered too visceral

To be published at the time

It has been locked in this metal box

For most of its wretched life

And I have no plans to release it

As the best poems are never published