Anna Marie Hahn was put to death on December 7th,
1938 in the Ohio State Penitentiary
Oh,
Anna Marie,
the Ohio grass was green
the trees were
green has died
in your winter
lightning
strikes fork on
your temple tremors these
Shawshank cornerstones
fall to dirt
shakes
and groans in thirsting throats
with your haunted
hands squeezing
like
poisoned arteries
in
mazy hallways the Union soldiers drink gin
gleefully
pull
on slots make them sing
of lonely men breaking skulls off cell bars
you watched
them
squirm in old skin
crinkling
like fat globs of silver coins
Oh,
Anna Marie
you incurve my sunken back
with your fist,
blacker
than pupil
spots—you stir
the kettle is warm
with the philter
your
brew
I have indulged in
death meets me
on you
I have kissed
the pillow shivers
I’m sweating for
you I’m turning
in my rind the
blood curdles the toxins
on your tongue I touch
my own
Oh, Anna Marie
I have no noose, nettle,
or scruple—I
swallow
the obol chatters
in my gums
I taste the gold
hair falling from your scalp
crosses
out my eyes
Oh, Circe
Oh,
blackening
Oh,
goddess I am dead
and
you did it merrily
danse macabre
dancing
bones in puddles of tar
I’m
sinking
I
sniff the cup
wearily I gulp it down
ordinarily
I don’t do this
on
the first date you drowned
me
in myself I see you black mist
Oh,
Anna Marie
black flag
black sea I engorge
on the sip
at
the tip of the glass I toast to you
Death!
Death! is a pretty
face
me do your worst
of
all you never cry
you
smile all the way
to the bank
in the chair
you twist
you
crackle
as
fire fills my chest I see you squarely
you
are beautiful you are still
and
your soul is bruised