RITES

Awaken with a start
scuttle through your shelves
read poetryprayers of salvation
from women who paint violence with purple ink
say my god my god my god
this hasn’t happened to me
this isn’t happening
I
have not —

press your fingers against your open mouth
open wounds
open you.

Spray frankincense to mask your smell
and ward off the hyenas —
let yourself starve
so they will have less to feed on

spell the name of your demons out loud
describe the exact brown of their eyes
draw a trail where they came

bury your broken teeth
with copper coins

insist this was the last.
—————
Poem © Helena Lutchman
Image: Pixabay.com modified