by Alexandra Lunn-Greep
Rabid
He builds boats and
Teaches gentlemen how to scull
Because the river
Is too long
For him to search
Alone for her.
She hides between cranberry bushes
Her face as dark as the marsh
Eyes twin moons
Of yin and yang
Dressed in desire.
Body Positivity
I used the queen of hearts
To cut myself open. Her edges were so
Sharp I felt nothing until my
Breasts peeled apart and revealed my heart.
I held it
Cut my nails so I could not scratch it
My bones were white under all that blood
Living corpse: inside out. So ugly!
The more I stared, the more I knew myself
I became mesmerizing.
Seedling
I lay myself bare under a dead hydrangea bush
Not naked
Brutally bare under a bush that used to,
Like me, flower.
The wicked thoughts sneak out
When no one is watching and
Fill my heart, my eyes, my blood.
I write in the spoiling ground with a
Half broken pinkie nail. The
Half that fell off fell far from the bush
Nourished blooms that exploded with
The last love left in me.
Jaya Avendel is a word witch from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, passionate about life where it intersects with writing and the dreamscapes lost in between. Her poetry and prose is published at Rebelle Society, Free Verse Revolution, Emotional Alchemy Magazine, and MookyChick, among others, and most recently in The Sound of Brilliance Anthology. She is working on Tangle Patch, her debut poetry collection, while writing creatively and constantly at www.ninchronicles.com.
Alexandra Lunn-Greep: Alongside taking photographs (as a complete amateur) Alexandra thoroughly thrives and grows immersing herself in nature, music, painting, gardening, dancing, writing and singing. In this present moment, she is a dedicated full time single mum of twins Gem and Ini who will be turning seven soon. She is beautifully supported by her family and friends, and works part time as a Forest School Leader. After living and working in Europe from 2010-2016, a spiritual awakening and self-evolution started and only continued since then. She speaks basic Spanish and Dutch and loves to travel with her children.