The Legend Of Miss Maddie Blair Poem by Karen Edwards

She stood accused, Miss Maddie Blair,
of witchery, a most vile crime.
The gallows soon to be her fate,
poor winsome lass with ginger hair
was set to swing in one hour's time.

When brought before the magistrate
at the old Salem Village square,
she was pressed upon to confess
to charges brought by Goodwife Whaite,
delivered with dramatic flair.

The goodwife wept and smoothed her dress
having feigned fear and outrage well.
Her husband standing at her side
shook with a shame he must suppress,
he knew the truth and wouldn't tell.

That truth, his guilt he had to hide,
else his wife would condemn him, too.
For he desired the fair Miss Blair,
though his passions were cast aside
apparently, his good wife knew.

Miss Maddie's heart filled with despair,
her eyes cast down and brimmed with tears,
betrayed by those she once called friends,
as no one spoke, not one soul there,
in her defense to calm her fears.

There was no way to make amends
for a crime, she did not commit.
Her protests were all made in vain.
Her guilt presumed, the trial ends,
sentence proclaimed, the order writ.

Then out of hope and beyond pain,
from the lies of a jealous wife.
'Hang the witch, ' the mob starts to sing;
she's led away with great disdain
to the gallows, to lose her life.

Her spirit freed on angel's wing
soon she will wear a martyr's crown,
Satan laughs with pure dark delight
'cause when they let that poor girl swing,
he gained the souls of a whole town.