Walk 1
Restless night, full moon rising, I let my spirit lead the way. As the wind changes, deep chants reach my ears. They touch my heart, pulling me down the sacred path. Ahead, solitary figures materialize, shielding their candles with silver-boned hands.
I follow, trying to silence my feet as they whisper through the long grass. I stop at the standing stones to bear witness to an ancient rite. They weave their way like a shuttle twisting in and out between the standing stones as their voices rise and fall.
cold stones full moon kissed
ancient ceremonies cease
candles flicker out
Walk 2
Around me, not a branch sways, nor a leaf trembles. Earthbound, I stare up at the clouds twisted by an unfelt wind. Witches and monsters form. These images writhe and mutate into ghostly familiar and unfamiliar forms. Faces from an ancient past or the stare of the dead capture my gaze.
A scream forms deep in my gut, but it cannot bubble out into reality. It is anchored deep within my soul.
I believe! I believe that you still live!
Release me from your spells.
fear tears at my heart
breeze twists knotting my long hair
pulls my eyes skyward
Walk 3
“The Willow Woman will get you if you tread on her roots!”
“Not true!” I said.
I smell the honeysuckle as I turn toward the river and the Willow Woman. The closer I got to her, the more the scent changed to smoke. Burning firewood was stacked around her trunk. Hearing her cry without a thought, I grabbed a wet branch and pushed the burning firewood into the water. They hissed as silver smoke rose into the air. Her trunk and branches trembled as if she were weeping.
three missing last night
they walked into the river
revenge or justice
Marcia A. Borell was born close to the water in the Great Lakes area. Her early roots of water, sky, and long summer days contrast with the need to hunker down and hibernate during the long winter months. Summers are for gardening and raising butterflies. Winters are for writing, drawing, and creating other worlds. A mug of hot chocolate, a warm blanket, and staring into the golden glow of the fireplace allow her to travel anywhere in the known and unknown universe.
Published 8/25/22