We Still Burn Witches, poetry by Gerry Stefanson at Spillwords.com
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Bouleversant

We Still Burn Witches

Gerry Stefanson·
BouleversantEnglishPoetryGerry Stefanson
·10 Comments·1 min read·

Bouleversant

We Still Burn Witches

written by: Gerry Stefanson

 

interviewer said, tell me a story
make it scary, horror and gory
now show me pictures, weapons
bad intent, crudity, hate bent on
the innocent, racial, religious, casual fate
mothers, broken hearts, rape, “fill our plates”

no, we don’ts talks aborts the nastiest suicide
of children and teens.
its bees as contagious as Covid 19’s
we’ll stomached a mutilated infanticide
there’s beenize one of a kindz.
those infectious, spreading teen self-homicides
ignited as a match to flame
never mention the theirs’s names
sanitize them, makes them sames
as the churches do – “they knows”
give thems the shames

 

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Some religious groups should update their playbooks. When Kyle left us, his closest friend went to light a candle for him, but he was denied. As a family, we were content that they didn’t raze our home and run us off.

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This publication is part 4 of 4 in the series Bouleversant

Previous ArticleThe Way Back Home
Next ArticlePassover

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10 Responses

  2. Hi David, yep! intriguing & punchy poem it is and meant to be. We lost our son to suicide and his best friend took the lash at his church. As survivors of suicide our family choose to be public. Sadly he was not the 1st and won’t be the last. We are having trying times and numbers are up.. Young girls and women have almost doubled. A time for talking, is a very good thing for everyone. Well time to give me and my soap box a rest. Please follow the series on Spillwords Press. This was 4th in a series of 14 poems, survivors of this loss need support, tis a long trail. Happy Trails gerry aka The Wordbutcher

  3. Hi Gerry: What can I say? You have done a wonderful job once again in this series. Through your grief you have managed to enlighten many, including myself, with your words. Prayers for sweet Kyle – for you and your family, as well. All the Best, my friend. – Phyllis

    1. Phyllis, always good to hear from you, you brighten my day and thanks for the nod to Kyle. “Burn Witches” is a rough piece to recap and write and thanks to Dagmara for publishing. Timing is everything but tricky around Easter, especially this one. Yet a big part of suicide awareness and prevention.
      Catching lots of feedback on this series, talking about it helps us and other survivors and reaches a few folks.
      Again many thanks for your support
      Happy Trails – gerry & family.

      1. You are so welcome, Gerry. You keep writing. I’m glad you find comfort with this series. Yes, it is a hard one, but every piece you write enlightens others and connects you to others as they share in your grief – and, most importantly, you are keeping Kyle’s memory alive. Thank You for sharing. Write on! Stay well… – Phyllis

  4. Hey Gerry,
    It’s hard take enough intelligent time to comment on your challenging works.
    Which brings me to Burning the candle for Kyle …

    scary, horror and gory bad intent,
    crudity, hate, broken hearts bent
    casual fate, mothers, rape,
    “fill our plate”

    You are rich and unbridled. lucid. Sir.
    It fills my heart with sadness and that there are such repercussions.

    I know for I search sometimes, no often, for what your poet sees and follows.
    where do the scrawlz in your language take their place?

    1. Hi Addison, yeah the where is “just out there”. I fill up with thoughts, ideas, dreams, nightmare and joy.
      They stew together and rebound, then rebound to paper? Interesting process, driven by a general plan at times – other times a prompt flips the switch – it never seems to stop – a perpetual motion. About one in twenty such adventures may equal a piece. Kind of, part of a process that so how it works.
      Best wishes, gerry

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