Witch Hunt (Poem)

Witch Hunt

Betty Parris
the Reverend's daughter
started it all.

Orphaned Abigail Williams
and Ann Putnam
pointed children's fingers
too.

They lost their heads
to fits
managed contortions
strange

their ululations —
like venom
speeding its course
through veins —
signs enough
of mischief dark:

Anyone could be a witch.

Tituba
she of black dogs
red rats and talking cats
yellow birds
and others' fortunes told

confessed she did
a mark put down
in a black man's book.

Sarah the Good
homeless
and a beggar
door to door
left unknown
and mumbled words
behind

her too-timid Dorothy
too, just four.

Old Sarah
an Osborne
Salem Village's own
she'd not been
in church in a year

and Martha, a Corey
outspoken, unpopular
though never confessed
was questioned
on the spectral evidence

same as kindly Rebecca Nurse
who hard of hearing
answered not to sin:

each and the three done in.

John Alden of Boston
Deliverance Dane
a Joseph and Marys more
Sarah Pease
George Burroughs
John Proctor:
accused and arrested all.

Gossipy Bridget Bishop
herself described innocent
like a child
unborn
thrice widowed
hanged first
on Gallows Hill

the poppets —
in her victims' forms —
still on her cellar walls
pins stuck in them.

Nineteen more of two score
and a hundred strong
next gave up
breath at the end
of the hangman's noose
their devil's magic
both their error
and their guilt.

Giles Corey
heavy stones pressed
into death
he was but
a man
seventy plus one
refusing to answer
to the test.

Of the girls afflicted
just this is known:
Ann asked forgiveness
died unmarried
her grave not hers alone.

© 2010 Maureen E. Doallas
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I wrote this poem for Tuesday's Blog Carnival, sponsored by Bridget Chumbley at One Word at a Time.

The Blog Carnival is a biweekly online event open to anyone. Participants write either original poetry or prose reflecting their consideration of the one-word prompt or topic. The prompt for October 19 is "condemnation".

At Bridget's place, you'll find a list of links to all of the Blog Carnival contributions, which are posted throughout Tuesday and often through to the end of the week.

The Blog Carnival's FaceBook page is here.

The prompt for the next Blog Carnival, scheduled for Tuesday, November 2, is "reconciliation". The complete schedule of prompts through the end of the year is available at Bridget's and also on the FaceBook page.