Ashes
written by: Elaine Nadal
I’m no sheep. You won’t use my skin,
reduce me to meat,
leave me with dry bones, scrawny and fruitless.
My speech is green, fertile, and rich.
Its seeds run deep.
From the roots of domestication,
it broke free.
I’m no sheep.
I’m not spilling any more blood at the slaughterhouse.
My blood is a cycle of fighting.
My blood is power.
Walls can’t contain me.
I am soil and river–
don’t need to wash clean for not crossing my legs.
Don’t you cross me. I’m no sheep.
I’ve gathered the wood. I’ve set the fire
and burned the violence committed against my body.
AUGUST 2022 AUTHOR OF THE MONTH at Spillwords.com
A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net-nominee, Elaine Nadal is the author of two poetry chapbooks: When and Sweat, Dance, Sing, Cut, published by Finishing Line Press. Her work has appeared in several journals, including Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Haunted Waters Press, Hoot Review, Grasslimb, and Latino Book Review Magazine.
Latest posts by Elaine Nadal (see all)
- Impossible Dream - August 25, 2024
- Ashes - March 8, 2024
- Harvest - September 18, 2023
