[Eadha Deora]

Chicken on a plate--
bones all shrivelled with the teeth marks of
insatiability.
Hunger tears the heart to shreds,
feasting with a psychotic ecstasy
until there is nothing left but
death's dinner.

Ribs poking through even the finest royal robes,
she has you now,
fire blackening blood for pudding.

One more bite and you will be ingested,
dissolving into the cosmic soup of a
goddess' starving belly.

The dark searing passage that burns the eyes,
red lights blind the mind,
belly button pressing through the spine,

come on, push, push!

..... the Black Hen returns to her nest,
knowing the heaviness is soon to break free.


Author's Note: The Sheela-na-Gig is one of the strangest symbols in Celtic sacred art ... an ugly old woman sat holding her vulva lips open. She is the symbol of the insatiable old woman who initiates men into their manhood, and an authentic archetype often repressed in modern psyches (for example, men may fantasize about older women). Her image was placed over doorways and windows to scare off evil spirits, and the Starving Sheela-na-Gig (the same image but this time she is a skeletal crone holding open her vulva) guards many older tombstones in Ireland and Britain. For more information:
Sheela na Gig - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Black Hen is also a Welsh symbol of the same kind of hag character who devours souls at Samhain (Halloween) before rebirthing them as wise, inspired deities.

[Vorcla]

That would be enough to keep me away! Very dark; a little different execution for you, but still excellent as always. I enjoyed it.

[RENA HANDS]

…bones all shrivelled with the teeth marks of

My question and it may be repetitive, but is ‘shrivelled,’ here meant to be spelled with two ‘LLs?’ I need to know for myself, for future reference so I know not to question it again.

Is it an English/European thing? Does it add something that I am missing to your work here?

Without your explanation, author’s note…I still would have been mesmerized by your imagery!

…fire blackening blood for pudding.

…dissolving into the cosmic soup of a
goddess’ starving belly.

I will admit to being limited in my readings, still I think…who writes such EXCELLENCE like this anymore? It compares to Shakespeare even to Mr. Poe’s writing of GREAT BRILLIANCE!

My rating, not that you need it…5/5!

[Eadha Deora]

lol, thank you so much, Rena! .... yes, I believe 'shrivelled" is a British spelling :S ... I don't even notice anymore when British spelling slips into my writing these days.

[dearest]

Oh, beautiful. I don't read enough of your poetry. ^_^ I loved the amazing imagery and metaphor before I actually read the endnote and understood exactly what you were talking about. Still, I love that you've incorporated celtic legend in a way that is equal parts entertaining, artistic, and informative. I definitely learned something I didn't know before. ^_^ Again, wonderful, wonderful work.