Guilty In a Dream
The image of dozens of burnt witches
tied to wooden beams
came back again,
he was the judge,
that chose their end,
guilt was pushing the voices into his head,
dozen of witches dead,
simply on his say-so,
and justice is what he failed to show,
this time he didn’t push the image away,
he kept it in his mind to his dismay,
he was the hunter and they were his prey,
he let himself remember the body twitch,
awkwardly as the flames came,
there was simply no advantage being a witch,
and he wondered if they would call God’s name.
Tags on toes of burnt women,
piled in crates like deadwood,
forgiveness is what he wanted,
only if God could, or if he should,
a gentle touch on his arm snapped him back,
he turned to the young witch tied to a beam,
caring is what he lacked,
as he ordered her burned to the fullest extreme,
and he would only feel guilty in a dream.
Copyright © Frank F. Atanacio | Year Posted 2009
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