(Artwork by Luke Thompson)

‘creature, my creature!’ the alchemist speaks
                                 convection / no conviction 
his words turn to rust
here we stand in the silence
that comes
after the foetus
leaves the womb
to hold hands with this

no, wait while i

search for myself in the pages of this old book

linger in the church
 fingers entwined like rope
  like Lilith and Eve
   falling , loving, hoping
    while the wood worm
     make their marks
      and the dust
       mites sing a Kyrie rie rie rie
        roses decay and light widows
         on the last page of the altar
          a vigil, a death watch
           creaking Mother, Mother, …

           how much can we call
           this moment
           still born
           & still

          the night sky derivative
          her painted lips
          a mediation
          a quick-tongued Madonna

         Eve speaks
        & Eve speaks
       the riptide, the chine
      in the coastline
     & Lilith speaks
    & Eve breathes words
  metaphors like ‘cuttlefish’  
 in her ear, a conch
in the sea, the sea

Sarah Cave @campanilecave  is a poet, critic and editor of Guillemot Press. She lives in a wood in Cornwall. Her publications include like fragile clay(Guillemot Press, 2018), An Arbitrary Line (Broken Sleep Books, 2018) & Perseverance Valley (Knives, Forks and Spoons, Forthcoming)