The Witch
Joseph E. Baker, The Witch, No. 1, 1892. Library of Congress; restored image via Wikimedia Commons.
When it arrived, there was no warning sign.
One day she was our neighbor — then accused.
Wild gossip turned suspicious, whispered crimes.
Malicious words from enemies defined
Each trial. Called spectral evidence, this duped.
When it arrived, there was no warning sign.
Dark testimony surfaced anytime.
Sarah Good was a witch, the judge deduced.
Actions became suspicious, unveiled crimes.
More hangings dominated news headlines.
Mild Giles and Martha Corey slain next. Cruel!
When it arrived, there was no warning sign.
Ann Pudeator, Wilmot Redd inclined
Towards devils’ deeds, someone swore. Was this true?
Actions became suspicious, revealed crimes.
Now Salem, Massachusetts has enshrined
Dark history for tourists, who seem amused.
When it arrived, there was no warning sign.
Wild gossip turned suspicious, faking crimes.
Note
These five adults were accused of witchcraft and put to death in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. Testimony was based on hallucinations called “spectral evidence,” which was deemed inadmissible after Giles Corey’s death. This halted Salem’s witch hunts and the trials.2
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