John Proctor…

He was not a small man by any means
John Proctor, obdurate and uninhibited was tall
Some might say burly, he was surely handsome.
Following their illicitness Abigail was mightily jealous
She wanted that man for herself
And yet, Elizabeth he loved – not her.
He was a good man, but one who had strayed.
It was to be his downfall.
That and Abigail’s wanton lust for him.

Accused of being a terrible witch,
But not wanting to ever reveal
His lust with Abigail Williams
That he’d always tried to conceal.
’Abigail is a whore and I so do confess,’
He shouts to the court of his final redress.
For I am now that which I despise most
A hypocrite Lord, take me to the post.

Abigail, O Abigail, is this your desire
You call me a witch – I’m condemned to the fire.

Inspired by real events of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, and of course by the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. In reality John Proctor probably didn’t even know Abigail Williams before she accused him of witchcraft. At the time of the trial she was about 12 to his 60 years, they were not 17 and 42 years as the play portrays. He was hanged as a witch at the age of 60 and his wife Elizabeth thrown in jail with him also as a witch. She was eventually freed though, as she was pregnant during the course of the trials and after, as the unborn child was seen as being without sin. Eventually all of the accused were set free, Elizabeth though, having been convicted was cast out for many years before she eventually remarried.