Intolerance

Has a home

In Amberville, Oregon

 

And nowhere is

Intolerance more nurtured

Than in full pews of the town church.

 

Legend has it

Amberville was

Scorched, met with the match twice

 

And the past destruction

Tied to three women.

And a woman scorned ain’t someone to mess with.

 

Elle–Condemned

For practising witchcraft. Tied and

Burnt at the stake. Her parting gift to the town: A curse.

 

Naomi—Condemned

For living alone and child-free.

Drowned in the river. First arsonist.

 

Iris—Condemned

For taking another lady as a lover.

Limb from limb, beaten until death. Second arsonist.

 

Charlie—Condemned

For being dirt-poor and burning a church.

Hand-picked by Elle herself—in ghostly form.

 

Who better

To enforce

Her ancient vow?

 

Charlie awoke

From sleep to find

A matchstick in her hand.

 

Jean shorts, belt, tank-top,

Curly long hair pulled into a pony-tail, low-cut Etnies tied on

And she took the walk into destiny.

 

Charlie stopped

At the twisted 

Old cemetery tree.

 

Matchstick

Struck against trunk, sparked

And the inferno began. The old tree, first to go.

 

Charlie stood boldly,

Watched a conflagrant wave

Burn all evidence

 

Of intolerance:

The tall town church, the school, the houses,

The bigots living inside.

 

As foretold,

No black sticks will stand.

Nothing will be re-built.

 

Blackened ash.

Amberville obsolete.

Witch’s curse complete—

 

____________________

Inspired by the short story Third Burn by Courtney Gould.