Under The Cover Of Night – A Shakespearean Sonnet
After The Lemon Orchard by Alex La Guma
2022
Beneath the crescent moon an orchard grew
Columns of trees bearing Citrus limon
Concealing a clandestine rendezvous
Of four white and one coloured African
The latter an educated teacher
With allegations trumped up against him
Was dragged from his home like a prisoner
An innocent persecuted victim
The still night air in the lemon orchard
As bitter as the fruit around the men
Only the lemons watched as they tortured
Silent screams no one will hear of again
Heaven would know of such horrors that might
Disappear under the cover of night