Reptiles of the Mind

The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind. ~ William Blake

"Rule and run" —
instruction for new judges.
Consider both sides, hear argument,
research if possible, but decide.
Given time, study, other judges,
approaching certainty worked,
but "we'll take a half-hour recess"
a few times a day, no way to run a trial.
A good rule, as rules go.
Yet, a few times wrong decisions haunt
and then my custom became
change the next time, occasionally
if pivotal — in that trial. Liveable.
Lawyers could anticipate, plan for,
my response. And I could live with me
when wrong rulings could be overruled.