Kissing Kate (Response To Holes)

• Erin Almeida, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2009

Kissing Kate was a criminal,
and the worst of her kind,
she killed many men,
and left only one sign,
a mark on the cheek,
like a scarlet red stain,
the lips of the law-breaker,
not placed in vain.
Many a treasure,
in life did she steal,
she killed and she stole,
to dull the pain she could feel,
A ,hole in her heart,
from loss of her love,
the negro onion picker,
who now lived above,
he was killed on the lake,
by men nearby,
killed for kissing white flesh,
his colour he couldn’t deny,
and who’s fault was this,
“It was mine,” Kate thought,
“from touching my lips,
his death was brought,
One day Kate had had enough
so she returned home,
but the lake had dried up,
and now she was here alone,
Kate buried the treasure,
in the dry lake bed,
Then she sat and cried,
wishing that she was dead,
suddenly from behind,
two figures arose ,
both of them had guns,
and in on Kate they did close,
They were past villagers,
In Greenlake’s empty town,
so Kate dropped her weapon,
on the dry, hot ground,
the villagers demanded,
“where’s the treasure been buried,”
they threatened to shoot,
but, she took no heed,
instead she laughed,
and never going to tell,
she grabbed a deadly lizard,
Who’s bite killed like hell,
the fangs sank deep ,
in to poor Kate’s arm,
and finally with a sigh,
she lay, forever calm,