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Houseguest

Writer: AJ HardingsonAJ Hardingson

Skin stretched like the

croak of a frog,

Deflating. Motherhood

drapes her cloak. Newt resting

on my swollen breasts

like a hot water bottle.

Eye mask worn like

Seasoned actor. Blinkers

To perform success.


Hecate knocks at

Midnight. Radiant in

Fury. Dressed gothic

Black. She struts

Past my ever

Sleepwalking self to

Inspect the baby

In the cradle.

And my locked

Lips do not

Utter their wish.

She sees in-

Side me. The

Cobwebs and lies.

I beg her

To leave, to

Acknowledge me, to

Answer my questions.


She is silent

As she unpacks

Her suitcase.


The cauldron stares

In mornings’ light.

So dark, against

The salt and

Pepper. Everything

Feels heavier with

Just one hand.

Hecate sleeps in

My spare room

While my husband

Is at work.

Sunshine is soporific.

Moonlight makes us

Murderous.


Each evening we

Build a fire

And tell stories.

Hecate marks ash

On my brow

While I breastfeed.

My skin is

Shedding and I

Have to sweep

My sheets before

Breakfast. Hecate tells

Me to save

The flakes for

Throwing curses.


I grow my

Own anger back.

Fed to me

In bits and

Pieces. I wonder

Why Hecate takes

Up so much

Room. She says,

It’s good I’m

Asking.

 
 
 

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© 2023 by Amy Hardingson.

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