Kubrick was Right

rehabilitation or
punishment:
radical behavioral modification
stripping a man of free will

this is the crux of Alex
member of a murderous rape gang
brought in by law
to answer
for his atrocities against society

in novel
he reforms of his own volition
tired of violence and crime
he wants a job, family
perhaps, love and penitence
the author forgives the boy
because, maybe, boys will be boys

in film
there is no redemption
visual witnesses
as the audience is
to sexual assault and homicide
Alex endlessly strives to ingratiate
“my friends…” is pleading, pandering
but he is never reformed
the director does not forgive
determines free will is overrated
if not outright fiction

Kubrick concludes
if we can eradicate evil from the individual
by science, then yes
me must rehabilitate
whereas Burgess says, “no
the punishment is too severe”

the optimist believes wrongly
criminality will self atone
the realist understands truly
utterly, it must be crushed