A is for ALIBI: If you have got one,
The chair that you sit on will not be a hot one.
B is for BLOOD: When it flows in a flood,
If it gets on your garments, your name will be mud.
C is for COP and for CRIMINAL, too:
The former is after the latter. (That's you!)
D: When the cops came, his lack of survival
Was why it was said he was DEAD ON ARRIVAL.
E is ELECTRIC BILL: If you're not careful,
San Quentin's may soon include one extra chairful.
F is for FINGERPRINTS: It can be awful
To leave them about when you're being unlawful.
G is for GUN: It requires a bullet.
Also a trigger and someone to pull it.
H is for HOMICIDE SQUAD: They decide
Why the killer has killed and the dier has died .
I is INHERIT: If papa is wealthy,
Take steps to ensure that he doesn't stay healthy.
J is for JUDGE: He determines your sentence,
Which could be a light one if you show repentance.
K is for KNIFE: Whether kitchen or dagger,
It's one way to silence her if you can't gag her .
L is for LAWYER: Be sure to engage one,
Or your execution might dominate Page One.
M is for MOTIVE: The reason you did it.
Whatever you do, you must never admit it.
N is for NOOSE: If you're caught by a 'tec,
Then the gallows may give you a pain in the neck.
O is for OVERKILL: Shoot them and strangle them,
Grab them and stab them and rope them and dangle them.
P is for POISON: Most any old sort is
Sufficiently strong to produce rigor mortis.
Q is for QUAKE and for QUIVER: The best you
Can do when the cops come around to arrest you .
R is for RAZOR: His ultimate breath
Has been drawn. You have served him a real "slice of death."
S is for STIR: If you must spend a while in it,
Pray for a cake with a saw or a file in it.
T is for TONTINE: Survivor takes all.
Summer, winter, or spring, someone's set for a fall.
U: If a man is in bed with your wife,
Then the UNWRITTEN LAW says you may take his life.
V is for VICTIM: A logical dictum
Says, "How can you kill one before you have picked him?"
W: WHO, WHAT and WHERE, WHY and WHEN:
If you won't answer, they'll grill you again.
X is for EX-, which, I think you'll agree,
Is the thing, once you've killed them, your victims will be.
Y is for YELLING: Their screams you are quelling,
Which leaves you quite safe — after death there's no telling.
And Z is for ZERO: The populace left.
You have bumped them all off, you're completely bereft.
You're alone in the world. All the others have died.
You're the killer supreme!