"The T-R's View Of Law" [Reflections On Business And Legal Forms For Authors And Self Publishers by Ted Crawford form #23-25A]

The T-R’s view of law quite threatens me;
It brings my shattered self down to my knees;
“Compliance” is their watchword – “set you straight”;
I’ve left such scenes before – I did not wait –

For me to dive into a funk of blue,
With words a-swirling ’round, “You’d better do
This to the letter or we’ll have your head;
For when we’re through you’ll drown in what we’ve read.”

I put it off to “later” – until now,
When contract must engage my anxious brow;
Joint-venture we have made – it sticky gets,
For she and I are aging; we forget.

So biting bullet, I pulled out that tome
For writers, those who publish books from home;
“First highlight forms and chapters – T of C,
Then chapter titles also; soon you’ll see.”

I did, then You said, “Take that chapter there,
’Bout landlords-tenants, things like ‘shop repairs’;
For contracts, take the route of gentle rise
Use aspects on the edge – in those be wise”.

I read three chapters, saw Ted’s tool emerge;
Asides helped me to see, be less submerged
In quantities of cases, endless law;
In social system “contract law” I saw.

It’s been around, but in the Renaissance
It took off, rose with later circumstance
Of “industry” and “business enterprise”,
Which Veblen wrote of with his insights wise.

For contract-law is private law, except
A level playing field we almost get
Through rules and structures, case-law – sharpest minds
Applied to finding ways both just and kind.

Ah-Ha! A place for me in all this froth –
With structures holding in abeyance, wrath
Of adversaries – Sun Tzu at its worst –
Enacted as the mean and mean rehearsed.

That’s like the “Ten Commandments” in the rock –
“Ten paneled-boards” – of contract-law they talk –
“For tighter, faster game, play in the boards,
And you’ll see body-life in Him restored.”

“Don’t focus on the boards, set sights on goal;
Assemble those who come into a whole,
Attracted by the ‘goodwill’ at the core;
With body-life, like teamwork, you’ll do more.

The contract’s just arrangements for the game,
With other side which strives to do the same;
Rules of engagement you must work out first,
But “writing-rules” keeps players from their worst.

I saw a way to make a “talking tool” –
Three columns – issues center, but what’s cool,
Is “right” and “left” show “what’s the best for each”
Like, “landlord”, “tenant” – two parts (both they teach).

So when you highlight who needs this or that,
It’s clearly seen if one side’s bulldozed flat;
So base concerns through trade-offs are addressed;
Resulting contract, letter, is the best –

Which can be reached so game gets underway,
With contracts being “role the boards will play”,
While in behind this stands society,
Insisting we adhere, lest justice flee.

Thanks Lord for this.

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