'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?

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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.