When she whispered “no” it made no difference

A contemporary poem by E.B. Johnson.

Photo by Camila Cordeiro on Unsplash

and when she screamed it did no better.
another mindless denial of the body that 
wasn’t hers; the shame that would take a 
lifetime to u n b u r d e n.

he’d carry the cross of another crusade. 
wear his feather like a badge of honor; 
ride his soapbox like a noble steed.

it was her on the stake, though; her body
on the line.…