Back at Stanford, set me see,
maybe 1993,
psychologists with good intent
designed a bold experiment,
to recreate and view unmarred
relationships of man and guard.
Whatever college lads applied
they'd simply randomly divide.
The major theme: It's just some kids,
one group that does, one group that bids.
The guards in aviator glasses
patrolled the halls, now cleared of classes.
The prisoners got rough-cut dresses
and buckets where they made their messes.
Before an hour has accrued
they choose to strip a classmate nude.
Some kids are easy to control;
they take the others to the hole.
When reason fails to do the trick
a guard slips up and swings his stick.
Some cons decide it must be true;
they try escape and almost do
and this is just day number two.
A kid want out. He makes his pleas
and claims he has a strange disease.
Some more want out. They do what's right,
confess to everything in sight.
They break it up on just day six
while doing camel humping tricks.
I hope you have a better plan
than just to trust your fellow man.