National Poetry Month "Poetic Justices" Contest Winners!

Thank you to all the law students who participated in the Law Library's National Poetry Month contest.  Your literary interpretations of major court cases from your law courses were all very clever and creative!  Professor Pommersheim has completed his judging and selected the top five submissions, which are included below.  Congratulations to the winners!  Each received $10 in Amazon gift cards courtesy of Lexis and a signed copy of Professor Pommersheim's most recent poetry chapbook, Local Memory and Karma (The Buddha Correspondence, Vol. 2). Thanks everyone for your entries, it was a blast!

Summers v. Tice

by Ian Haubert

On a lovely fall day I went hunting with Tice

We were joined by a 3rd fella who seemed pretty nice

After checking our guns and devising a plan

We set out to hunt on the wide open land

As we approached a grass covered hill

We spotted a quail and were ready to kill

As I raised up my gun I let out a cry

One of those bastards had shot me in the eye

Pierson v. Post

by Alex Sieg

I seen Lodowick, giving chase,

Dogs and hounds, under his command,

A fox in front, its feet apace,

The field afore them, spanned,

I raised my Baker, beast in sight,

Shot once I did, my shot well known,

Down fell the fox, red snow once white,

The beast was mine, and mine alone.

New York Times v. Sullivan

by Jeff Holt

There once was a Times factual reporter-man

Who wrote some lies about Mr. Sullivan

But the Court said truth wasn't important

And could in fact write opinion accordant

As the press was somewhat actual malice-san

Johnson v. M'Intosh

by Jessica Four Bear

"I own the land, I will grant to you, 

For it is my authority to so do."

"Thank you kind sir, I bid you farewell,

I'm off to have this title recognized, with a story to tell."

"The Piankeshaw Nation has a bundle of rights! 

Title to lands, for that, they must fight!"

Justice Marshall peered down the bench 

"Mr. M'Intosh, who gave you that title, The Indians?! The Government or the French?!"

"My title is from the Government, Mr. Justice, Sir!

Rule in my favor, the Indian laws are nothing but a blur!"

"Were they conquered? No.

Were they discovered? Why, yes!

I think I have an answer that will fit best!"

"A custom of ownership shall be established this day,

Native culture does not recognize ownership quite the same way."

"Mr. M'Intosh, your title is hereby signed and sealed!

Sorry Johnsons, you see, maybe time will heal." 

Kelo v. City of New London

by Cody Raterman

Property taken for a public use

Without just compensation, one can deduce

A 5th amendment abomination

Unless economic development is your excuse.