Escapee Poem by Marilyn Shepperson

He runs as he's been running for hours
Having escaped, he must get away
He's innocent, but they never believed him
His life would have ended at the hands of the hangman
But now he is gasping for breath
As he heads for the forest, fortunately near
He turns his head to risk a glance behind
The riders are not far, but slowed down by the hounds
Luckily for him, still on leashes
Yet he knows it won't be long
Before the dogs are let loose to harry his heels
A shot rings out as he stumbles over a root
He darts intot he trees, almost sobbing with relief
For the bullet missed him, the root saved him
Though his ankle is sore, he cannot stop
Still for the moment he pauses, his hand on a trunk
His first instinct being to climb
But the dogs would scent him, his life would end
With a bullet, yet that would be quicker
Than dancing at the end of a rope
He runs on, a zig zag course
Till he comes to a ravine with a fast flowing river
He hears behind the howling of the hounds
And screaming Please, to whichever god might be listening
He jumps into the icy water, his breath nearly stolen away
Is tumbled this way and that, as he's carried downstream
Oh wonders of wonders, the gods have said Yes
As he collides with a log jam
Against the opposite shore
Dragging himself up the muddy bank
He looks back up the rocky gorge
Sees that the first of the hounds has arrived
At the place from where he made that leap
He rises and punches a fist to the sky
Sobbing aloud, They can't catch me now. I'm safe at last.