Justify Justice: Of Justice and Revenge | Teen Ink

Justify Justice: Of Justice and Revenge

April 11, 2022
By SilverBlueGhost SILVER, Everett, Washington
SilverBlueGhost SILVER, Everett, Washington
7 articles 1 photo 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
We travel not so we can escape life, but so that life won't escape us.


They say that just living is the best revenge

To make the person who wronged you 

Nothing more than a leaf on the wind

Passing in and out of lives like the changing of seasons

But they aren’t a leaf

Even if you think them to

They are a barnacle 

So small the impact they make

But it sticks forever. 

So we seek justice.

Or is it revenge?


Justice is Balance without Bias.

This the wrongs made right 

And punishment; fair.

She is strong and steadfast,

Kind yet unyielding

The weigher of hearts to feathers

And the judge of all faults 

a wall to block the storm.

The kind ice of reason


Revenge is subtle 

The silver-tongued twin to justice

Many mistake her for her sister

But she is violent 

Angry

Short-sighted.

She cares not for consequences.

And forces the hand of justice

The tossing of a single barnacle

Onto the heart of your enemy,

To tip the scales out of favor

The fiery passion of retribution.


But justice is not without her faults

She is blinded by humanity,

Corrupted by mortals who fear

And turn to her sister for aid

For the pushing of pieces into motion 

To see a plan’s fruition 

And why shouldn’t they 

She turns away 

Away from the guilty

Towards the innocent

And justice becomes unjust


The kind balancer of scales becomes no more

And should this be true?

That life and liberty no longer prevail

Instead Revenge gracing the throne

Treat and rehabilitate

Not harm and retaliate 

Provide comfort for the innocent 

While still showing mercy


Let’s return Justice to the throne

Balance without Bias.

wrongs made right 

punishments; fair.

strong and steadfast,

Kind yet unyielding

The weigher of hearts to feathers

And the judge of all faults 

a wall to block the storm.

The kind ice of reason

But most of all, 

Able to see all sides.


For in the moments where justice

Becomes nothing more than a single person’s weapon

He should find that for all his planning

He holds not justice

But revenge.


The author's comments:

This piece was written in my English class as an alternative to a synthesis essay. My teacher gave us the challenge to write a creative piece synthesizing several different sources and form an opinion on justice. These were my sources.

Revenge and Justice- Uzumaki Tony

A cask of amontillado- Edgar Allen Poe

Justice- Langston Hughes

Themis- Greek goddess of Justice

Justicia- Roman goddess of justice

Anubis- Egyptian god who weighed the hearts of the dead to judge them worthy of passing on

Mercy- Rudy Francisco

Allowables- Nikki Giovanni


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