Witch Hunt

 

A window exudes a flickering light,

Casting glow against the dark and menacing night.

The flame gives sight to a Holy Book,

Allowing its viewers to take a look.

All must heed the advice it may give,

Like “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”



Little girls quiver, contort, and scream during prayer,

Caught in the grasp of the Devil’s snare.

They point fingers, accuse, and cast external blame,

Creating a witch hunt turned to a sickly game.

The evil walk amongst the dark streets of Salem,

And all must be done to capture and hang them.



The accused are tried in days of court,

And found to be just of the guilty sort.

The judges decide the solution then,

Is to execute the fourteen women and five men.

The guilty were not just of the human crew;

Two dogs were found to be witches too.



The clergyman sees the witch hunt grow grim,

When the blaming fingers start to point at him.

He gets the governor to make the hysteria cease,

As well as to give all prisoners their release.

The massive witch hunt of 1692

Was not fully acknowledged until five years passed through.



Bills were made, with money given to heirs,

But the lingering effects could be felt in the air.

To this day Salem remains a topic of interest,

With the causes still leading to a bounty of requests.

One of the theories and conspiracies have said,

That the possessed girls ingested moldy rye bread.



Regardless of bodily or emotional cause,

We can learn that group mentality is first met with applause.

Fear and power will lead to a dire result,

As learned from this tragic Puritan “cult.”