Ravens and Lilies

‘When you are not fed love on a silver spoon, you learn to lick it off knives.’ - Lauren Eden lilies and ravens dance together making mud puddles thick as salve caked on deep wounds stemming not the ooze tinctures from droppers bitter herbs labeled for survival use only as directed replenish nothing rancid birthday cakes gleeful candles form dancing shadows glassy story-telling eyes yearn desperately gleaming steel knives slice neat little rows across the table the sacrificial altar where naked I lay ignorant children don't see the bullies in their own homes doling birthrights like feed for ravens and lilies Written 8 April 2025 For the contest Light or Shadows hosted by Suzette Richards