"After the Skimmington Ride"

my reflection in the water
fleeting,
as darkness dances with the
light.

willow-witchers in the night

my face a shimmer on the moon,
shamed by the
expression,
wishing.

no other gods before me

my breath a plume,
kissing the toothy wet wall,
lapping at the healing
treacle.

what the dormouse said

my legs are stalks,
numb tubers
anchoring a frail
lotus.

ding dong bell

my feet are earth,
arsenic
leaching into my
pores.

pussy’s in the well

my mind is bottomless,
bored into layers
of rich earth, seeking the
wellspring.

for I am the Way




by Lisa Joele Tuttle

Homage to Louise Bourgeois

Farewell, Spiderwoman. The world is now owed another challenger.