Exonerated

The evidence came 3 years too late,
When he had already suffered.
The torture, pain and accusation,
His reputation scuppered.

In one moment he had lost it all,
The girl he loved and his freedom.
When everyone thought he did,
The unthinkable, a monster become.

He spent his time locked up,
Unfairly criticized.
Praying that someone would help,
Wanting truth that they would find.

Then suddenly it came,
And he could be let go,
The real culprit found,
Someone they didn't know.

So here he was at last,
Leaving his three year home,
Although could he even call it that?
It was more like catacombs.

He had all his possessions,
Not many to be counted,
No one came to get him,
No friends had he encountered.

He walked out through the gates,
Sniffing at the air,
It tasted better than before,
Now his life was fair.

He didn't feel bitter,
Not the way most would,
He couldn’t really blame them,
They did the best they could.

He took a slow step forward,
Refusing to look back,
And stopping himself from dwelling,
On the night of the attack.

He had a future now,
The past was in the past,
After all these years,
He had liberty at last.

So he left it all behind,
And began walking on,
To the new life he was beginning,
And his long awaited freedom.