I. I once had a sister. We began our existence, a single cell that divided into two, we grew here together in this womb, -in this earth womb that smells of loam and worm casings- here amongst the turnip roots and apple seeds here were all life begins and so too were all life ends we emerged together, fully formed sprouting from each others breasts lips locked until that fated first breath, our arms entwined in a loving embrace. We knew our fates. Knew our destinies before we tore out of this earth wound womb before we stepped through the looking glass into what we each would become. II. My sister, flesh of my flesh, she loved the sunlight and where she would wander grass would grow, brooks would babble crops would yield. The corn grew high in honour of her hair The water ran clear in honour of her eyes The earth was fertile in honour of her breasts The world seemed to bend and sway beneath her, Lithe of step and fair of face How could I compete? III. Whilst she was exalted and honoured among men I was the whisper you heard after dark, the name no one dared to speak out loud- I wandered dark paths, a trail of toadstools in my wake And so despondent did I become that I returned to that earth wound womb to the loam and the worm casings to the turnip roots and the apple seeds and so began the wheel of fate. My sister mourned me, So sad she became that the grass withered beneath her tears, the leaves fell from the trees in despair, the waters cooled and stilled their voices and shadows crept upon the world. IV. She found me, my sister. For our bones call out to the other when the flesh decays. She found me by my poisonous trail, that lead to the gaping earth wound womb and she fell into the earth sobbing with great heaves inhaling the loam and worm casings the turnip roots and apple seeds until her red red lips, once so alive and inviting turned blue and cold as she sank back to me, as her hair dried like corn silk the earth began to mourn. The grass turned brown in grief The waters froze without her warmth The earth refused to grow. V. Down here in the earth amongst the worms and the turnip roots my sister lays, her hair strewn behind her ribbons of gold like corn silk her grey eyes dull and lifeless her once red red lips, so alive, so inviting now cold and blue. It was my turn now to fall in to her. My turn to mourn and grieve in great wracking sobs swallowing worm shit, inhaling loam. My tears soaked the earth were we lay, entwined her corn silk hair drinking deeply her grey eyes glinting like pressurised coal her once red lips becoming deeper until this earth wound womb would spit us out once more.
Reason for writing:
All comments welcomed and appreciated and I promise to take them in good grace....part five is the part that bothers me. It's not ...right...any and all suggestions welcomed.
Birth sign: Scorpio
You need to log in to edit this poem if it is yours.
View more poems by Beth.