The Pilgrim Road 40 & 41 Poem by David McLansky

Preparing the Witness (40)

The Deacon spoke to the waif, 

'In body we know that you are chaste, 

But admit that you've had sinful thoughts

With vengeful feelings you are wroth, 

And if you do you'll soon discover

That we'll unite you with your mother, 

Mother and child will be restored

You cannot cut the sylvan cord; 

When I ask you, were you disturbed

By a neighbor or his herd, 

If you answer quickly 'yes, '

It will bring such happiness; 

If you say you married Satan

Without the least bit hesitation, 

Why that very afternoon, 

You'll be back in bed in your own room.'

'But that would be a sinful lie, '

And here the girl began to cry.



The Trial (41)

And so the Pilgrim and the child

Stood co-defendants at the trial, 

He waved to her which made her smile

A breech of courtly Canon style; 

The Deacon rose and looked with scorn

At the defendants and he warned

That people of surrounding lands

Will be alarmed at what was planned; 

'Be not misled by her girlish look, 

Innocence can easily be mistook

For what looks to you as a child

Is a demon laughing all the while; 

She was seen drawing pentagrams, 

With the blood of fresh-killed lambs

She dripped gore at the five points

Which mocks the wounds that we anoint; 

In the darkest time of night

She was observed by candle light

To utter chants and wave her arms

(The Court room stirred in some alarm) 

Pronouncing Latin in reverse

To cast her spells and lay her curse; 

Then from the star scratched dirty floor

Came a clank from a trap door

And rose a yellow smoking glow

That arced red sparks in its flow, 

Which blazed with light and sudden heat, 

Then rose the beast with cloven feet; 




Brown and dark with straggled hair

A bull like face, a red-eyed stare, 

His snarling teeth, bright fangs from Hell, 

And from the mist a sulfurous smell; 

He growled, and stretched, and finally roared, 

Then bent the child upon the floor

And there he sated his foul lust, 

And as he rammed the child did thrust; 

Yes, good Christians, be not deceived, 

She's not the innocent you perceive, 

This is the mate of Anti-Christ, 

Who spawned with him until first light.'

Stunned and silent sat the Court, 

The Deacon handed up his report; 

The Judge looked sullen and quite grave, 

A woman howled and several prayed; 

Until the Pilgrim rose at last, 

And then gave off a monstrous laugh, 

'Who is this witness so well versed

That he knows Latin in reverse! '