SWANWIFE

THE GREEN DOOR

I miss my raven-haired companion.
My left hand
too wild for a shepherd.

My forest friend.
Sylvestris deus.
Now in the embrace of the nymphs and the Great God Pan.

A satyr's eternal, indecent abandon.

I will follow you there,
my Elysian Piper.

THE FALLING CAT PROBLEM
(For Étienne-Jules)

Your frustration is palpable.
My plasticity, infinite.

You've spent a lifetime in the laboratory
on equations and experiments.
Physics and physiology.
Me, just a cutie in a fur coat.

There must be a trick. Surely I'm cheating.
Invisible thread up my sleeve.
Paws rigged with magnets.
A magician's landing.

I've come to enjoy your accusations.
The wind in my whiskers.
Listen closely, I'm purring.
People pay for the thrill.

High or low, you will not defeat me.

I'm a professional, baby.
And I've got 9 billion lives.

THE DEADLY ONES

I received a message that you fell.
...again...

Your legs weak as a newborn,
unable to support the weight of your vices.
...you crawl...

I prayed to see you like this,
on hands and knees,
begging.
...you crawl...

But not in penance,
simply crushed by a lifetime of lust, gluttony, and sloth.

I smile regardless.
Fortitude slips into wrath,
hoping the next fall will be the deadly one.

NEXT

Worship the Old Gods | Visit my shop Black Horehound