Corn Husk Broom
Lyrics - Sadie McBride
Music - Castalia
This poem was found in a collection of prvately published poems by poet Sadie McBride called "Out of Yesterday". It tells a story of an accused witch whose only crimes were being female, poor, and clean.
The time was far before our day
The wolf of hunger clawed each door
Full many did not own a bed
But slept upon the earthen floor
The year had not supplied the rains
To make the corn and cotton grow
Waste not or want will be our lot
Those were the words that all would know
Poor gentle Anna Mae was caught
In that web of hungry pain
She did not waste a shrunken root or
One small cob of cherished grain
She washed and mended faithfully
The faded dress she daily wore
But rainless days went sadly by
More hot and humid than before
Oft late at night when hours seemed cool
She'd wash her tired dusty face
Take up her old stiff corn husk broom
And sweep around her cabin-place
She'd stand awhile on the porch
And gaze up at the silver moon
Reflecting as she swept the boards
And praying rain would come real soon
It was a time of strange beliefs
That marred the minds of that sad day
Men dwelt on powers of witchery
And threw their common sense away
One man who owned a tract of land
And sought to conquer acres more
Was such and on his homeward way
He rode one night past Anna's door
He stood his horse in musing thought
To him it seemed an eerie sight
Only a witch would ply a broom
Alone and oh so late at night
The next day when he told his tale
He found listeners quite a few
They quickly planned to go that night
To see if it was really true
Safe hidden by the bushy growth
They waited for the moon to rise
They saw the sweeper with her broom
A witch indeed before their eyes
"Come down sweet cleansing rain come down
and make the corn and cotton grow"
These were her oft repeated words
Before they turned in haste to go
And as they hurried on their way
Thinking a witches curse she said
They felt the long desired rain come
Falling softly on each head
"She is indeed a witch" they cried
More vengeful than they were before
"We saw her broom, we heard her words
We need not ponder any more
If she can cause the rain to fall
What else can such a creature do
She'll take our houses and our lands
Destroy us all before she's through"
They came stout minions of the law
And took poor gentle Anna Mae
Down to the village trying court
To hear the judge and people say
She has been seen by many men
A corn husk broom held in her hand
Sweeping destruction from the sky
To fall upon our cherished land
They did not hear her gentle voice
Saying she only prayed for care
They did not see a frightened maid
They saw a witch they knew was there
They burned her at the fiery stake
How can such sin from men be shriven
The law did plainly state and say
That was the fate to witches given
These are the times from which
We've come to find a wiser path to tread
These are the deeds we can't forget
That lie so heavy on each head
For sad to say there still are those
Who find new witches they might slay
They harbour cankers in their breasts
That gnaw their better parts away
Perhaps in some deep testing house
They'll hear the truth in Anna's prayer
Fall softly, sweetly cleansing rain
Some thirsty hearts still need you there
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