The Fall
A moment suspended, between here and there
The rush of air is sudden.
Icy panic grips my pounding heart
As the din of the vile crowd becomes an uproar.
“Witch!” they cry, “Burn in hell where ye belong!”
* The end will be welcome.
The scars still burn, yea, as do my lungs,
Behind ribs cracked from the force of their blows.
Unwelcome artifacts of the “trials”.
* The fall seems too long.
The hangman was too anxious.
Did he fail to secure the rope in his haste?
Prithee, God, if thou hearest, be merciful!
Let the horror end.
Beauty was my only sin.
I welcomed not their advances.
'Twas envy brought the accusation
And bloodlust, the sentencing.
* At last, the tug and the snap.
A flash of white-hot pain
Gives way to cool, peaceful darkness.
Fear is purged, replaced by overwhelming love
And a great sense of belonging,
A warm, distant light beckons.
***
My mind took off without me on the theme of this challenge, and here's where we ended up. Thanks for reading!
About the Creator
Dana Crandell
Dad, Stepdad, Grandpa, Husband, lover of Nature and dogs.
Poet, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Artist and Tech/Internet nerd.
My first published poetry collection: Life, Love & Ludicrosity
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Keep reading
More stories from Dana Crandell and writers in Poets and other communities.
The Ritual of Winter Challenge Winners
Welcome to the Winners Announcement for The Ritual of Winter challenge. This prompt focused on winter rituals and the meaning that settles into them over time. The top pieces stay grounded in ordinary acts and repeated routines, letting winter shape the work through pace, attention, and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Team3 days ago in Resources
Comments (9)
Wow! I love this take. I like how, despite her being condemned, she remains true to her word and still gets peace in the end.
You fit the challenge perfectly. The thoughts of a wrongly accused (witch hunt) before the punishment. These line brought the reader close to our character, understanding the why behind it all: ‘Beauty was my only sin. I welcomed not their advances. 'Twas envy brought the accusation’ Dana this is what the challenge is all about.
A helluva place to capture a moment! Great poem, and captures the emotions they might've felt really well. When I read "Unwelcome artifacts of the “trials”" I kinda imagined the woman smiling a little at herself because of the rediculousness of the situation she's in 😅
The ending felt so reassuring. Loved your poem! How's everything with you?
Bloody helllfire, Dana! 👏
Stunning & magnificent! BRAVO Dana! You have a winner on your hands, my friend! :)
Nicely done, Dana! Impassioned storytelling, and I loved the ending!
Very intense entry, Dana <3
Oh wow, BB!! That was intense. Just wow!!