Experiment

A man walks into the room
he slips on a white lab coat
he says the government sent him here
you will be paid for this
you have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

He must be a doctor
he has a handshake
he has a degree from Stanford
he writes your name on the clipboard
he knows your social security number
you have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

You hear people outside chatting
they must be his staff
footsteps on the other side of the door
tubes, metal instruments, pills, and liquids
sit upon a metal tray
you notice his badge
you have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

This is a hospital
you saw the ambulance outside
downstairs there must be a morgue
the door says: Exam Room 334
It smells like bleach and piss
the lights flicker
You have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

You can see him through the glass
he can only see himself
you are invisible to him
you have been given permission
what has he done?
You have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

He doesn't have a coat
he doesn't have a handshake
he doesn't know your number
he is all alone
he is hooked to a bunch of wires
he must know why he is here
you have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

So the doctor asks you
the others come into the room
they all stare at you
he places the check on the table
if you don't someone else will
You have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

You look down at the table
the button is big and red
you can play god now, just for a minute
they said you can
no one will know what you have done
except the doctors, the government
you and God
You have a choice:
Push the button, kill the other man

It was sunny that day and warm
you were listening to NPR that morning
on the way over realizing
you forgot to turn off the light
in your living room last night
that's unusual, you are meticulous
about things like that
a least you had time for breakfast
you are overworked
the florescent lights of the hospital
make white glow into green
you haven't prayed in years
but one day you will be comfortable
with looking in the mirror
your heart still beats
Why did they pick you out of everybody?
Why are you still sitting there?
You have a choice to make

Push the button, kill the other man

Reviews

[ICE]

I just love Psychology! Another great piece of work!

[Rouge Pen]

This was based off of the Stanley Millgram experiment. A man walks into a room and is told to give an order to another man in another room hooked up to a bunch of cables. If the second man does not follow orders the first man may give him an electric shock. If he still doesn't follow orders the first man can increase the dosage.
In reality the man hooked up to the cables was an actor. They were testing to see if the one man with authority would give lethal doses because he was allowed to. A few did.

[Wunderlich]

A very interesting poem. I love the repetition of the final line of every stanza. That line constantly reminds the reader of the seriousness and moral dilemma taking place. It definitely describes a very interesting experiment, one in which many people would feel troubled to go through with, but no doubt some would.

[Poeticpiers]

This recalls to mind experiments done with students Some were prepared to push the button. an artificial scenario which of course resluted in artificial results. It is not easy to kill but given the right conditions we are all capable of doing so