Always in that dream,
the mantis grinned at me,
having mated
and eaten her mate –
same way you grinned at me
when I said, “I do.”
Grinning when I couldn’t sleep;
grinning when they took me away.
Even now, you come to visit
grinning still.
And they wonder
why I keep screaming.
(This poem first appeared in Tales of the Talisman: vol 9 issue 4, 2014 with slight edits since.)
Lauren McBride finds inspiration in faith, family, nature, science and membership in the SFPA. Nominated for the Best of the Net, Rhysling, and Dwarf Stars Awards, her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in dozens of publications including Asimov’s, Abyss & Apex and Fantasy & Science Fiction. She enjoys swimming, gardening, baking, reading, writing and knitting scarves for troops.
Published 2/11/21
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