They told Ned not to look into
little Mary’s eyes
she’s got the witching eyes
they said
Ned scoffed at such
silly superstition about
an eight-year-old girl
to prove the foolhardy
believers wrong
Ned looked directly
into little Mary’s
witching eyes
that looked no different
than any other
little girl’s eyes
nothing happened
a week passed
Ned still unwitched
derided the believers
a week later,
Ned was dead
coincidence some said
proof believers exclaimed.
Bob Boyd