Athar Jaber

2 February

Three times
Around the house
The well

Light a candle
Swallow your years
One for the next

Can you see your shadow?

Fertility goddesses
White and blue
They demand offerings

Your vanities in a plastic bag
Perfume
Jewellery
Combs
Lipstick
Mirrors

Curse them
Roast them
Burn them
Thank them

Make pancakes
Your gold coins
Your sun

Feed the
Blooming fear of
Bloodthirsty Cyclopean delirium

Cut your sick limb off
Its fabric surrogate
Hang it on a tree

A burned virgin
A Black hole
Too dark to capture

The serpent will come
on the day of the bride

On her dress a text
A prayer
A scream 

ETIEPESEPMERI
LPVRINENIPEPNEIFANT
EAFM IPNINI FMEAREI
NARMPRLMOTARE
OLM INRANFR TAEBNPEM
NVINAPIMLIFINIPI NIPIAN
EVPMIRNA
ENVPMTI
EPNMPIR
VRVIVINRN
APVI
MERI
PIVNIAN
NTRHN
NBIMEI ANNEIPERFMIVIFVE

In the holy land a floor mosaic
A cave

Blood red stone
Stained by monthly flood

The curse the poison the antidote
A holy drop

Breast’s first nectar
Injects the life-giving wound

Baby bottle jammed inside
Blessed needle to the curse
Of endless floods

Nurture the scapegoat
Until time comes
Recurring sacrifice

A lamb stew
Slowly cooked
Sloe gin

Ewe’s milk
Crushed rock
Casein cocaine

Add a pinch

Stir

Drink

and pray