Literary Orphans

a witch, on a stake, on fire by Alexandra Epitheti

 

a witch, on a stake, on fire

witches and bitches,

a witch or a bitch,

with a grave between the legs,

and mothers,

and daughters of daughters,

all witches and bitches,

hysterical

with uteruses where some died,
and others resurrected,

where the toughest of knights
came out
swollen with tears.

 

witches you were terrified of,

witches you disinherited,

hysterics that frightened you

until you grasped

that you are the daughter

of the witch

or the bitch

and you later on became

a bigger bitch than

you could hope.

 

and you no longer care

why our mothers

did not love us

as much as

they had wanted,

and you do not blame
the rest of them no more,
once you knew

we are in it together now.

once you knew

it could never happen

otherwise.

 

witch or bitch,

a slut
or even a whore

you, who almost believed

that they insult you,

-put your own head in the noose,

tie yourself to the stake,

light the first match

on fire

 

and then

walk out of the flames,

screaming

and kicking,

as you came and as you brought others here,

with eyes
and hands wide open,

with a shout

with a screech

that will pierce their brains
at last-.

O Typekey Divider

Alexandra Epitheti is a poet from Greece. She is not very good at writing third person bios.

O Typekey Divider

–Art by J. F. Chow — Artist Profile

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