Eyes Scooped Out and Replaced by Hot Coals

By Thomas Lux

The above, the punishment, the mild
but just punishment, symbolic,
the great advancement our planet
most needs.
The procedure is painless,
using methods currently available
only in cartoons. Polls were taken,
it was voted upon overwhelmingly in favor.
The justness of it,
known in the bone
by each of our nation - is undeniable. Thus, it is proclaimed,
on this day of anno domino, etc, I, the final arbiter
and ultimate enforcer
of such things (appointed by the king!), make official
and binding, this: that the eyes shall be gouged out
and replaced by hot coals
in the head, the blockhead,
of each countryman or woman who,
upon reaching their majority,
has yet to read
Moby Dick, by Mr. Herman Melville (1819-1891), American novelist
and poet.

Comments : One reason I liked this poem and wanted to run it was that it mentions Herman Melville and his famous novel and it has that in common with this poem run a few days ago.
The second reason to run this poem is that it expresses my feelings about those like former Haryana DGP S.P.S. Rathore who misuse positions of power to torment others.
- Zen

About the poet : Thomas Lux was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1946. He is the Bourne Professor of Poetry at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His most recent book is The Cradle Place.

Lux writes, "I think of 'Eyes Scooped Put And Replaced By Hot Coals' as an audience participation poem, i.e. readers may replace the book mentioned in the poem with a beloved book of their choice."