Witch

Firecrackered — you, be-
witched, was burned before
you burst in bloom.

Doomed a demon — you be-
nign; an angel asked
to leave, be-
lieved to be obsessed.

You a woman
      cursed by coward men.

Madonna by Edvard Munch

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February 4, 2018

21 responses to “Witch

  1. Oh, what wonderful line breaks! I love the one that tells us she’s only nine years old. Witch stories (and poems, etc.) fascinate me. Wonderful topic. I like the ones where it seems like she’s burning to death, but then she hops down and walks away, pretty much unscathed.

  2. Thank you, on behalf of women and witches, for standing up for the persecuted!

    Yes, wonderful use of language and arrangement of line breaks to, among other things, emphasise “be”. And the message transcends these devices which serve it, managing to be both straightforward and heart-rending.

    I love the phrase “burst in bloom”.

  3. stunning and elegant for such burning dark content – speaking with a voice of the fallen – by the hands of others ….

    this is BEYOND striking and so powerful Bjorn!

  4. kaykuala

    You a woman
    cursed by coward men.

    Pretty obvious a lot had gone under the bridge and she had caused many men to suffer.

    Hank

  5. Nice tribute to those condemned women, Bjorn. Just today there was something newly discovered about our, US, New England witch hunting and burnings. Either of the town or another attribute’s finding. From yours I learned of the early ages that the witches were.
    ..

  6. I love all the b’s and especially the emphatic existential one – to be -theirs a belief begrudged and embezzled in a purge – men also burned though

  7. Funny how the persecution of women as witches is still on point in this day and age. Makes one think.

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