between supple fingers
she holds thin
paper birch bark skin
smooth and chalky
residue white
on fingertips
piece by piece
she feeds the hole
sinking coiled bark into centre
tâwâyihk
she feeds amber flame
iskotêw
spiraling up from dark
beneath flame
crackling tongues whisper
hold still
burn deeper
and beyond their voices
another and beyond
another
their stories wrap like skin
drawing up her collarbone then neck
resonant, hugging close
slowly they circle her jaw, cheek, skull
heat penetrates
in a sucking motion
pulling her skin tighter
like a drum
melting echoes
at the edge of her eyelids
descend earthward in prayer
she sits in the glowing
gently drawing inwards
iskwêw
fire heart
woman
femme
Moe Clark
Texte publié dans le No.23 iskwêwomxn
