Thrones and Prisons

Echoes of deep laughter filter in,
The sounds of good judgement grow thin,
Crowns exchanged and bought by the power drunk,
Sorrowful hearts squeezed as hope sunk.

The thrones for the ruthless and violent,
The prisons for the steadfast and silent,
Which would you choose thou commoner?
Or would you rather escape to be a sojourner?

Beating drums of joy slowly fade away,
Toils and misery horribly line the way,
Silence kisses the lips of the erudite,
Affluence graces the bags of the granite.