The dawn of morning

I hear the rain outside. The dawn of morning does not know me. Crowds gather in the broken mist and chant and chant for me. I sit up in the corner, walled uneven stone surrounding me. I hear the footsteps coming and the fiddling with the keys. They don’t wait for me to stand before they bring me to my feet. No words are said, no songs are sung just eyes all over me. The holy man prays for my soul, but his forgiveness ain’t what I need. We walk the path of trodden stone to the end of life for me. The gallows bear like a wooden tower as up its steps I’m forced to be. As the rope is placed around my neck courage overpowers the fears in me. I look at the crowd and then the man warranted to kill me. With strong deep voice I say to them: ‘Innocent I was and am and innocent I always will be’