Amherst never had a witch
O Coos or of Grafton
But once upon a time
There were three old women.
One wore a small beard
And carried a big umbrella.
One stood in the middle
Of the road hailing cars.
One drove an old cart
All over the town collecting junk.
They were not weird sisters,
No relation to one another.
A duly accredited witch I
Never heard Amherst ever had
But as I say there
Were these three old women.
One was prone to appear
At the door (not mine!):
‘I’ve got my nightgown on,
I can stay all night.’
One went to a party
At the president’s house once
Locked herself in the bathroom
And gave herself a bath.
One had taught Latin, having
Learned it at Mount Holyoke.
Of course Amherst may have
Had witches I never knew.
(Robert Francis)
More Poetry from Robert Francis:
Robert Francis Poems based on Topics: Night, Time, Woman, Parties, Cars, Sisters- Thoreau in Italy (Robert Francis Poems)
- Hallelujah: A Sestina (Robert Francis Poems)
- Encounter (Robert Francis Poems)
- Squash in Blossom (Robert Francis Poems)
- New England Mind (Robert Francis Poems)
- Summons (Robert Francis Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night Poems, Time Poems, Woman Poems, Sisters Poems, Cars Poems, Parties PoemsBased on Keywords: coos, nightgown, amherst, holyoke, grafton, accredited