Poetic Justice is a song written by Mike Peters which first appeared as a studio recording on the Breathe album released in October 1994. It was one of the songs that formed the backbone of the live sets when Mike Peters and The Poets of Justice made their live debut in July 1992. A version of the song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London in September 1992 but this was not released until 1997. Poetic Justice was one of the songs selected to be re-recorded by Mike Peters for the start of the 40th Anniversary celebrations with an acoustic version appearing on the Time 1981-2021 released as a prelude to the History Repeating anniversary set of songs.
1994 Breathe album recording
Running length 4:40
Written by Mike Peters & Jules Jones
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Voice, Acoustic Guitar
Field Marshall Slug – Lead Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
Jules Jones – Piano, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Owen Thomas – Drums, Percussion, Programming, Backing Vocals
Brychan Llŷr – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Emyr Penlan – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
John Williams – Keyboards
Ian Fowler – 1st Violin
Celia Goodwin – 2nd Violin
Rob Shepley – Viola
Gethyn Jones – Cello
Strings Arranged by Emyr Rees, Jules Jones & Michael Peters
Recorded at Sain Studios, Caernarfon, Wales
Produced by Michael Peters
Mixed by Risteard O’Moanaigh and Field Marshall Slug
Engineered by Gethyn Jones
Mastered by Nilesh Patel at The Exchange
Click on image for audio of the 1994 Breathe album recording of Poetic Justice
Alternative studio recordings
1992 Abbey Road Sessions Recorded Live 7.9.1992
1993 Breathe Demo
1994 Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
2020 Time 1981-2021 Acoustic
(v) 7.9.1992 – Mike Peters And the Poets Of Justice – Abbey Road Sessions Recorded live 7.9.1992
Running length 4:42
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Voice, Acoustic Guitar
Ethan Johns – Electric Guitar
Jules Jones – Piano, Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals
David Watkins-Clarke – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Martyn Barker – Drums
Steve Bell – Percussion
Produced by Michael Peters
Engineered by Mike Jarratt
Assistant Engineering by Darren Godwin
Mixed by Andy Taylor
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London NW8, England on 7.9.1992 – Afternoon session (closed)
Click on image for audio of the 1993 Abbey Road recording of Poetic Justice
1993 – Breath Album demo
(v) Summer 1994 : Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Session
Running length 4.11
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Amplified Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Tambourine, Backing Vox
Produced by Michael Peters
Recorded in Wales Summer 1994
Appears on the album Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
2020 – Mike Peters – Time 1981-2021
Running length 2:21
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica
Produced by Mike Peters
Recorded & Mixed by Mark Warden
Engineered by Aled Hughes at Sain Recordiau Cyf
Studio Assistance by Andy Labrow
Album appearances and discography of studio recordings
The following are Worldwide releases unless stated
10th October 1994 : Mike Peters – Breathe
Released on double vinyl album by CRAI records catalogue number CRAI 47LP
Released on CD album by CRAI records catalogue number CRAI 47CD
Original 1994 album recording
(v) 13th January 1995 : Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
Released on CD by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C001
Summer 1994 Wales acoustic recording
(v) March 1997 : Mike Peters and The Poets Of Justice – Abbey Road Sessions Recorded Live 7.9.1992
Released on CD by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C003
1992 Abbey Road Non audience session recording
November 2008 : Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Sessions Deluxe edirtion
Released on 3 disc CD/DVD box set by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C0466
Disc 1 Original 1994 album recording remastered
Disc 2 Unreleased 1993 demo version
December 2020 : Mike Peters – Time // 1981-2021
Released on CD by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C116
2020 Acoustic recording
4th June 2021 : The Alarm – History Repeating 1981-2021
Released on as a 4 vinyl album box set by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C119LP
1992 Abbey Road Non audience session recording remastered
Single appearances and discography of studio recordings
The following are Worldwide releases unless stated
December 2020 : Mike Peters – Time // 1981-2021
Track listing : Time One – History Repeating [Acoustic Version] / Time / Time Two – Poetic Justice / Moments In Time [Swansong Version].
Released on 7″ vinyl by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C117
2020 Acoustic recording
Officially released live recordings ~ Audio
All are Worldwide releases except where stated
17th July 1998. Recorded at The Big Session, Dolgellau, Wales
Running length 3:53
Performed by Mike Peters and The New Electric Band
Released in 1998on double CD as Live2 [From A Broadcast] by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C006
12th January 2000. Recorded at The Gathering 8, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales
Running length 3:12
Performed by Mike Peters & Electric Band
Released on 12th January 2001 on Triple CD as Millennium Gathering by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C020
24th August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 3:24
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released in 2003 on CD as Alarmstock Volume 5 – The Dirt And The Glory by the Twenty First Century Recording Company 
29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 3:11
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released in 2004 on CD as Alarmstock 2 Volume 5 – Yesterday As If It Was Today by the Twenty First Century Recording Company 
6th August 2005. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London NW8, England
Running Length 4:52
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released in 2005 on CD as Alarmstock III Volume 1 London – Set 2 Scattered Across This Land by the Twenty First Century Recording Company
22nd October 2010. Recorded at King Tut´s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland
Running Length 2:41
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released in 2010 on CD as Live In Glasgow MMX by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C054
Officially released recordings ~ Video/DVD
The Gathering DVD Collection Box Set released 2004 
12th December 1992. Recorded at The Gathering 1, The Town Hall, Rhyl, Wales
Performed by Mike Peters and the Poets of Justice
Released in 2004 as part of an 8 DVD box set The Gathering DVD Collection by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21CDVD003
15th January 1999. Recorded at The Gathering 7, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales
Performed by Mike Peters
Released in 2004 as part of an 8 DVD box set The Gathering DVD Collection by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21CDVD003
13th January 2001. Recorded at The Gathering 9, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, North Wales.
Performed by The Aalrm MMI
Released in 2004 as part of an 8 DVD box set The Gathering DVD Collection by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21CDVD003
Lyrics ~ Breathe album version
What on earth is this world a comin’ to
What on earth is going down
What on earth is happening to us
Is everything I feel poetic justice
What happened to our better world a comin’
What happened to our brave new vision
What happened to our dreams of the future
Is everything I see poetic justice
Can you hear it on the ghetto
The spray cans speak
In confession whispered to a priest
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
(What you gonna do now)
What you gonna do now everything’s changing
(What you gonna say now)
What you gonna say now it’s all over
(Where you gonna hide)
Where you gonna hide now the storm’s broken
Is every word I write poetic justice
Is this the Armageddon?
Or the apocalypse?
Revenge for the Judas kiss?
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Poetic Poetic Poetic Justice
Lyrics ~ Abbey Road Session 7.9.1992 version
What on earth is this world a comin’ to
What on earth is a going down
What on earth is happening to us
Is everything I feel poetic justice
What happened to our better world a comin’
What happened to our brave new visions
What happened to our dreams of the future
Is everything I see poetic justice
I hear it on the ghetto
Hear it on the street
In confession whispered to a priest
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
What you gonna do now everything’s changing
What you gonna say now it’s all over
Where you gonna hide now the storm’s broken
Is every word I write poetic justice
Is this the Armageddon?
Or the apocalypse?
Revenge for the Judas kiss?
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
It’s written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
woohoo woohooo woohooo woohooo
Poetic Justice
it’s every word I write
Poetic justice
woohooo woohooo woohooo
Poetic Justice
It’s every word I write
Lyrics ~ Time 1981-2021 version
What on earth is this world a comin’ to
What on earth is going down
What on earth is happening to us
Is everything I feel poetic justice
What happened to our better world a comin’
What happened to our brave new vision
What happened to our dream of the future
Is everything I see poetic justice
Can you hear it in the ghetto
The spray cans speak
In confession whispered to a priest
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
What you gonna do now everything’s changing
What you gonna say now it’s all over
Where you gonna hide now the storm’s broken
Is every word I write poetic justice
Is this the Armageddon?
Or the apocalypse?
Revenge for the Judas kiss?
Poetic justice
Written across my heart
Written inside my mind
Poetic justice
Poetic justice
Click on image for audio of the 2000 Millennium Gathering live recording of Poetic Justice 
Click on image for video 5th January 2021 : Video premiere of – Poetic Justice for the of Time 1981-2021 release
This video for Poetic Justice was filmed and directed by Andy Labrow at Sain Studios, North Wales, as Mike Peters recorded songs with powerful spoken word insights into Alarm History
(Page updated 18/11/2025)