By: Linda M Crate

i prefer
to be kindness
and flowers
persephone dreaming in
demeter’s garden,
but sometimes you force me
to become artemis or athena
driving into war with
animals and fury and bloodshed
using wisdom as a weapon
as i destroy you
with all the consequence of your rage;
i told you once not to cross me
but you wouldn’t listen—
so now let the corvids make off with your heart
may your voice be heard no more as the
bears devour your body, and the coyotes make
off with your liver;
and death with your soul—
when you are reborn
remember the fire of my eyes,
and to avoid it
because if i have to i’ll set you ablaze a thousand times
until you know enough not to vex me again.