an incantation against malediction
by Shelia Peters

fingers
unclench the pen
take my hand
and body outside
red curtained room
roam
short grass
prairie brush
my thighs with
seeds with leaves
leave
palms open to
the sun welcome
dragonfly landing

hands
gather herbs to hasten
hunting heal
my enemy's heart
her heat a scorching
in parched summer
summon
sage to smell
her out three
kinds bent
in prairie
wind to snatch
her breath
breathe
sweet prairie
clover to distract her
from velvet poison
locoweed to give her
anger
anchor
thread to grey-green stems
encircle with the songs
of fledgling kingbirds

bind
sage to her
malevolence
and through this ragged
prairie heart
hurl
spear grass drive
my seed deep
into my enemy
make
of her
a host
teach her
generosity