Dana Gittings

Cast this spell and shiver, singe!
Read my words, and live—unhinged!

The tail of the rat,
the wings of the bat,
the knife in the air,
the breath of the bear.

The flesh and the leech,
the stone in the peach,
the reach of the wind,
the sting of the skinned.

Stir the cauldron. Blood, mud, binge!

The bed of the lake,
the scales of the snake,
the bone of the bird,
the breach of the word.

The curse of the win,
the sigh of the sin,
the club and the spade,
the terms of the trade.

This is the end. Drink up! Dig in!

The dregs of the wine,
the snap of the spine,
the hole in the teeth,
the thorn in the wreath.

The eyes in the dark,
the wolf and the shark,
the beast of the shame,
the runes of a name.

Eat, my brother. Feast, my kin!
Let me serve you—see you cringe!