Inheriting Incantations
A WNW Poem
Paw is the Alchemist in the woods,
he toils in magic all day, dedicated to the craft,
his mind wanders out of this physical realm,
to untangle the problems that plague him.
Over the years, I have watched him grind dried flowers into herbal charms
for hunters to use to track down game,
slice up the truffles I foraged for him,
marry them with gold coins and cat whiskers to bring philosophers fortune,
meld skink tails, chains, and chicken liver to make a medicine for postpartum mothers,
but unfortunately, the one thing he couldn’t cure was
Time.
I am a ripple,
tracing over his impact.
My apprentice is perched in the corner like a cat waiting
as I grind down lavender into melted honey for a salve,
humming to the melodic rasp his robes would make across the wooden table.
I wince as I close the wax seal of the milk glass bottle with his signet ring.
I pass the bottle to my student,
and see my future in her bright eyes,
a memory practiced
just as magic is.
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Artwork “Lonely Men” by Sean Lewis.
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The Word Not World Series (WNW) is an interactive anthology where, once a week, I share a photo and peers give me words that inspired them. The requests are listed below:
“Dedicated” from Heather on FB
“Alchemy” from Gina on FB.
“Dedicated” from Kasey on FB.
“Medicinal” from Barb on FB.
“Foraging” from Missy on FB.
“Paw” from my Mama on FB.
“Concentration” from Every Root, Every Thorn.
“Philosopher” from Karoline Eidhammer.
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Thank you for your inspiration!
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