'Even Modern-Day Witches Have To Eat': A Poem by Tricia Waller
EVEN MODERN-DAY WITCHES HAVE TO EAT
No more cauldrons
for modern-day witches.
Instead she perches on the edge
of a polished chrome kitchen stool
stirring pale green liquids in a stainless steel pan
with an acid pink rubbery spoon.
Weaving her word web
on a windy Wednesday afternoon
she whispers in a voice
as soft as sugared almonds
at a winter’s wedding breakfast
‘It will be done; you will be won.’
Millennial magic makers
no longer conjure up cusses and curses
on a daily basis.
Instead their incantations
incite Aphrodite and Eros
to tear and share their eternal loves.
The loves so often lacking
in present day entanglements.
Too self- absorbed, obsessed
with visuals and stranger’s assumptions.
No wriggle room for romance,
no leeway for love!
Eyes lightly closing
Eostre begins to circle rhythmically
as she stirs.
A low chasmic thrum ripples
through the length of her entire body
from the silky soles of her feet
to the tangerine tips of her tingling fingers.
Inhaling the heady bouquet of
Rosebay Willowherb,
Yarrow, Celandine and Valerian
infusing in her pan
she gingerly dips her left forefinger
into the mix.
Lowereing her head
she extends her pearl pink tongue,
like a basking lizard
to taste the steaming brew.
‘Almost there’ she croons.
Then straightens and stretches
her left hand upwards
to reach the bleached pine shelf
grasping hold of the old indigo bottle.
‘Just a touch; not too much;
all is done; now for the fun!’
Eostre sliding sidewards from her stool
disappears into the back bedroom
leaving the liquids in the pan to settle and cool,
reappearing clothed in midnight black
sun top edged with sparkling silver thread,
frayed denim shorts and pink bamboo flip flops.
Arms encircling an ancient willow basket
brimful of eco-friendly bottles,
her multifarious metal bangles jingling
she begins to carefully fill each one,
finishing with cream and gold labels
bearing the logo ‘Aphrodite and Eros Love Potion’.
Eostre’s hazel eyes close in prayer,
her flaxen hair falling forward
as she bows to bless her bottles.
‘Godspeed my lovelies,
do your best
they’ll do the rest.’
Outside she safely stores her hoard in the back
of her honey-hued camper van. (Broomsticks are so passé)
Jumps niftily into the driver’s seat,
sets the Sat Nav for Sennen
and she’s off.
Well even modern-day witches have to eat.
Don’t they?
Tricia Waller has always loved books, stories and both the written and spoken word. She belongs to various Book Clubs and Writing Groups. Her letter was included in the book 'Letter to an Unknown Soldier' produced as part of the WW1 Centenary Art Commissions Project and her 'story' is a part of The Hertfordshire Libraries and Heritage My Story Microfest at present.
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