Every new announcement

Feels like another strike across her

already bloodied back

 

There are no steps

On the path to awakening

There is only descent

 

She must enter the dirty

tunnel

 

It is open. It begs

to be felt

 

She sees the death of her

grandmothers

She pours the water

Into the next cup

Lifts her hair

Off her sweaty neck

 

She was born for this

 

She bit the apple

Pricked her finger on the needle

Bargained her voice away

 

She wanted to taste it

To lick every drop

Of life

 

And it swept her away, for a while

 

She looks outside herself

 

Pretends she does not know

What lives inside her body

Pretends she cannot feel

What is eating her alive

 

She is sleeping beauty

And no one is coming to save her

 

She must awaken herself

 

If you liked this piece, you might also enjoy:

the earth is cleaning house

maybe one day I will tell my children

the crows, unconcerned, will be happy to eat our bodies when they fall

the pulse of the earth / is what you are missing

The wisdom of fire