Pucelle Of Orleans (Known As Saint Joan Of Arc) Poem by Gert Strydom

The French heroine of the Hundred Years' War Pucelle,
as a relapsed heretic was burnt on a stake in a manmade hell
and most of the world does call her Joan of Arc,
being a apostate sorceress in her face they did her tell

where she was only following the Lord God
and being an excommunicated catholic I find it odd
that where she did not follow that church they made her a saint
do wash their hands from her death free and up the aisle they trod

where on her day they named her a demon from Lorraine
killed her as a sorceress and a witch in great flaming pain,
hated her for her masculine way of dress
and yet the facts do through the ages do remain

that where the church and state is one
all mercy and responsibility is gone.

[Poet's note: This poem is a prime example of where man do err where the state and church is one institution, where religious freedom and other freedoms and rights that do define humanity have been oppressed and it is not a attack on the Roman Catholic church.]