My poor cousin Jan.
the doctors are picking on her again.
I had heard about her cousin for years.
Why doesn’t she quit nursing for those doctors?
It does not sound like they appreciate her.
Jan Toppan, the nurse, killed fifty people
with morphine or atropine over a twenty year period.
Someone is whispering. What?
Okay. Some say she killed a hundred.
She argued at her trial these were
“acts of mercy”.
The jury did not see it that way.
They committed poor cousin Jan to an asylum.
Beauty bows and surrenders at her bare feet,
The gold glitters jealous of her glowing skin,
Her bright eyes light embers of passion within,
Men yield to her will!
Warriors clang their weapons to fight to die,
Flags with horseman fly, write history again,
While sat in emerald throne, she rules their minds,
With potion of love!
Is there a poison more deadly than such love?
A woman to whom the Roman empire bows,
Juice of poison berry* she put in own eyes,
He who loves her - dies!
Mighty Caesar or Anthony were like clay,
Their tirades, history fade in her presence,
They lost in war, lost in her love, end by knife,
She put Asp to breast!
Sapphic stanza Poetry contest
Sponsor Edward Ibez
Date 08/July/2020
Cleopetra used poisonous berries or the deadly nightshade juice( medicinal name Atropa belladonna) that yields Atropine which causes dilatation of the pupils. Was used in her time to make the eyes dreamy, innocent and beautiful! Hence the name “Bella = lady, Donna= beautiful)