Appraising Stace

(Sung to "Amazing Grace", or "Gilligan's Island")

(Dedicated to UW Madison and Juan Comesaña for a generous invitation in Spring 2005)

 

Appraising Stace:

how “freedom” sounds

as common use to me?

If what I want

is what I’ve done—

then physically I’m free!

 

Was Stace not taught

so smart and clear

that Stace unclearly cleaved

to glosses of

what Stace declares

as ours when saying “free”?

 

Though many dangle

minds as fare

for what “free will” becomes

should Stace refer to mens rea

and Stace concede its home—

 

When we’ve been fair

in first-phase trials

and “guilty!” does resound,

if X did Y, so off to jail,

is more than doing found?

 

Appraising Stace:

how “freedom” sounds

as common use to me?

If what I want

is what I’ve done—

then physically I’m free!