The Witch of the Pine Barrens

[taken from The Pine Barrens by John McPhee]

ver. 1:

The Pine Barrens once had their own particular witch
Pineys put salt over their doors to discourage visits
From the witch of the Pines, Peggy Clevenger
It was known she could turn herself into a rabbit, 

For a dog was once seen chasing a rabbit

And the rabbit jumped

Through the window of a house, 

And there - in the same instant

In the window - stood Peggy Clevenger

On another occasion, a man saw a lizard
And tried to kill it with a large rock
When the rock hit the lizard, the lizard disappeared
And Peggy Clevenger materialized on the spot
And smacked the man in the face

Clevenger is a Hessian name

Peggy lived in Pasadena

Another of the now vanished towns
Five miles east of Mt. Misery
It was said she had a stocking full of gold

Her remains were found one morning

In the smoking ruins of her cabin, but

There was no trace of the gold.

ver. 2: 

The Witch of the Pines

Pineys put salt over their door to discourage visits
from the witch of the pines - Peggy Clevenger

It was known 

she could turn into a rabbit

For a dog 

was once seen chasing a rabbit

and the rabbit jumped through the window of a house

There in the same instant in the window

Stood the form of one Peggy Clevenger

Again, a man saw a lizard to kill
Crushing it with a large rock

The rock hit the lizard and the lizard disappeared

There on the spot to smack the man in the face
Stood Peggy, the Hessian Clevenger

In Pasadena, another
Of the now vanished towns

It was said Peggy
Had a stocking full of gold

In the ruins of the cabin there was no trace of the gold
Only the remains of the witch, Peggy Clevenger