Victorian


Mary Surratt, who was hanged on July 7, 1865,  for her supposed involvement
in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, was the first woman executed
by the United States government.
         
They held an umbrella in the sun
for Mary Surratt, shading her face,
making sure she didn't burn
before they fit the hood and noose,
and bound her skirts so as not to offend
the crowd as she fell in a last quick wind.

Elise Hempel

If you have any comments on this poem,   Elise Hempel would be pleased to hear from you.