The Stoning

I am a woman standing in the middle of a crowd
and accused of a crime.
I see the piles of stones
and seeing them frightens me.

People are picking up the stones.
Many stones are being picked up.
I start to think "What did I do so wrong?"
Do I really deserve this?

I am guilty of loving another woman's man,
guilty of loving him as only a woman can.
I look to the right; his body is lying there
all broke and bloody in the stones.

His wife threw the first stone.
She threw it hard, that first stone.
Another came and hit me in the face.
More stones came at a quick pace.

My bones crush and break.
My body goes numb and into black.
I am no longer under attack.

Note: The story, "The Lottery", inspired me to write this.