Neil Ellman writes

Witch Scene

 (after the painting by Paul Klee)

The scenery and actors in place

the curtain risen

and footlights focused

on their tattered robes

revealing characters

as you might suppose them

concocting potions and charms

from frogs and chicken bones

turning them to stories of themselves

when they were young 

and had such beauty to seduce

a prince.

This is their theatre

not in a shadowy cave

but on a wooden, creaking stage

where they can make believe

that they are as real 

as the elves and trolls

who watch them play their parts

suspended in their disbelief

while they dine on slugs, grubs

and garter snakes.

The witches exit stage right

then left

then encore 

to polite and incredulous applause.