The Family Circle

Single snips of dogwood blooms

Eagles feather, to rise

The sky prepares soon, for the moon

As the beams caress your eyes

A pinch of dust and eye of newt

A last minute surprise

When evil men appear in suits

The wrong doers will die

*

They drug her firmly, across the courtyard

her bare feet dragging in the dirt

Her hands were tied, her garment charred

obvious signs she had been burnt

*

Accused of healing, without a license

her coven readied witchcraft and such

Arrested with some ill-gotten hints

but in those days, it took not much

*

She begged for mercy, "please set me free"

but on deaf ears, her pleas fell hard

They strung her up, just off main street

a spectacle with no regard

*

For days she sat upon display

abused by word and deed, alike

But she stood strong, although dismayed

upright and perched, just like a shrike

*

Her friends came by to keep her focused

late in the night, they'd gather round

Chanting songs, some called, hocus pocus

casting a spell, while she was bound

*

It made her strong, and gave her courage

her will like steel, never to bend

They spoke in tongues, a foreign language

calling on spirits to come ascend

*

A few days passed, no food or water

her coven called the mayor out

She was the youngest of his daughters

into the night, you could hear him shout

*

The fourth day at dawn

the town came to see her

But she was nowhere to be found

they fetched the hounds, her scent to stir

*

Down winding paths, through trees and creek beds

the dogs with every panting breath

Would seek the scent his daughter left

some ran until, they fell in death

*

Some said she cursed the dogs to die

others said the coven did

Her father urged them - continue to try

it mattered not, she was his kid

*

They found themselves among a clearing

circles and stars marked on the ground

A master craft, of disappearing

the magic cast, was to confound

*

The coven regrouped and formed a circle

those caught inside, to meet their doom

They called out a chant, "open the portal"

the only witness, was the moon

*

They screamed and cried, much like his daughter

begged for some grace, though, none they gave

Like cattle herded to the slaughter

the place they stood, became their grave

*

Time stood still, but for a moment

the father looked her in the eyes

"Is there no time for me to repent?"

though sobbing, there were no tears to cry

*

She answered him with a small riddle

one that shook him to his core

"What's small and mean, and begs a little,

without the means to be restored?"

*

YOU, she whispered.....

*

With that, the winds began to howl

the moon covered his face, with clouds

Her father's face shadowed in a scowl

as he cried out - her name aloud

*

"ANNA!"

*

She shed a tear, but not for him

but for the ones he'd led astray

When the choice to sink or swim

she watched them sink, and float away

*

The power of an ugly heart

that leaves a stain, hard to remove

Tearing both family and town apart

all under the guise of mislead love

*

She joined her sisters in the coven

returned to town, to start again

Maybe this time, lessons were woven

and things won't have to be this way

*

The things that make us all unique

are the differences that make us strong

Coming together make the puzzle complete

Conformity is not bad or wrong

*

To see the strength in those around us

added to all that we can give

Blended together, is a plus

and makes the best places to live