THE WITCH OF THE WOODS

It happened a long, long time ago,

In a land far, far away.

Where wind would once stop,

Where trees now only weep and pray.

In the woods dark and vast,

stands a cabin now buried in past.

The walls were green in summers and springs,

But always, she kept the windows clean.

She being the little Witch of the Woods,

born beautiful yet born misunderstood.

You see, she was given a gift;

A gift of curse and much mischief.

But it wasn’t always like that, but

Happy-ever-after was shattered at last.

For as the witch, the maiden, who once had life rise from her hands,

Lost her own, in this far away land.

Ordinary morning it was, till a deer came to the shed,

Running galloping gasping and grasping,

For air for safety for life and for mercy to survive,

Fell to its knees and

Died.

On the maiden’s doorsteps.

Blood-dyed arrows broken in half.

Cried the maiden on the deer’s behalf.

But fear not for our maiden was gifted!

With much piety, she kneeled, whispered, and prayed

To heaven, to earth, and to everything in between:

“Please lay your eyes on me and lend me your power!”

“So may the antlered fairy jubilate, once again!”

Hence the deer rose and hopped away, in the light of day,

As the maiden sang and blessed its way.

But little did our dear, dear maiden know,

Oh I wish she had turned and saw the glow!

Of the deer hunter’s crossbow, his arrow

And his eyes, cold like snow.

It flew through her heart, and she

Fell backwards. And for a brief moment it seemed

As if she was afloat, frozen in time, framed, evergreen.

The wind howled and the birds shrieked,

So that the maiden wouldn’t hear the towns’ cheering,

To the news,

To the death of the Witch of the Woods.

So here it goes…

In the woods dark and vast,

Stands a tomb, burying the past,

Carrying the untold story of a young maiden.

And shall the woods be her eternal haven.