Lizzie Borden Took An Axe

Lizzie Borden Took an Axe By Elton Camp Family love often will subside When there’s property to divide Old Andy Borden’s second wife Came to be a cause of much strife He allowed his two daughters no say When he began to give money away To his second wife’s Abby’s own kin With them, his generosity did begin “For you to do like that is so lame. On the estate Abby has no claim.” Anger filled daughters one and two Only the youngest knew what to do When on a trip her sister was away, Her crafty plan Lizzie put into play. Ugly old Abby was at home alone Her husband was on business gone Bridget, the Borden’s Irish maid, Feeling sick, in her room had laid “Now’s my chance,” Lizzie thought Unawares, her stepmother she caught While she was making up the bed, Lizzie swung an axe to her head. Alongside the bed she did sprawl Making not a cry or a move at all When home to nap her father came Then she proceeded to do the same, Quickly removed her bloody dress Cleaned from herself any red mess Police,“Where can Mrs. Borden be? We very much need her to see.” Then came a shout, all to astound. Come up here, look what we found. Lizzie tried to conceal a happy smile At the two bloody murders ever so vile To loss of inheritance she put a stop When into death her parents did drop The evidence proved extremely strong That Lizzie herself had done the wrong She cried, “Oh jury, you must see me free. Surely you have to believe it wasn’t me.” To think any woman might be so evil In that distant day was too unbelievable Less than two hours did the jury deliberate Before making their decision as to her fate “We find pretty Lizzie did nothing wrong. So open the jailhouse and send her home. It would take some libelous and stupid fool To accuse a young teacher of Sunday school.” It was obvious that Lizzie had much to gain If to continue alive Mrs. Abby did not remain Both motive and opportunity, clearly she had But a gentle woman could do nothing that bad But the township’s people were not deceived The jury’s hasty verdict they never believed In derision, it only took them a very short time To compose and then chant a mocking rhyme “Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.”