churchyardgrim

1.
after thirty days
of wailing, fasting and
lamentation,
the ashen god
came to me,
his hands charred black,
and said: beloved,
what do you need?
I said,
to cut the devil out.

2.
down along the beam
of the swollen moon
a silver shaft fell
into my begging hand;
it was air and wrought
with purpose.

3.
I became the water;
my flesh parted,
the light my blade a
ready tool, having
only one intent.

4.
flashing silver sunk below my breast
and drew no blood, no ichor.
the burning thing
within my ribs
that sang and sang for you
was removed.
one slice, clean and
soothing. where
there was a keening howl
I found silence.
(it would only cut once;
in my hands it
became asphodel, white in the moonlight,
and swiftly withered into dust.)

5.
flesh once more,
I held the severed organ
in a strong grip,
kept it from
returning to the hollow
below my rib.
I sang out;
the god approached
my circle, in the form
of a wolf.

I offered him the heart.

from my hands the wolf
swallowed it,
licking my palms clean.

6.
the dark god thanked me for the meal;
I thanked him for the knife.
our needs met, we parted ways.

7.
the time for lamentation
is passed;
the hour of weeping is passed.
now I become the air,
and vanish from all knowing.