sexual magic

Posted on: 6 November 2016 by Emily Berry in Creative Writing

for catherine blake

tall, slender, & with unusually long legs
she was his complement in every way
he filled her, & she saw the world
luckily for both of them

mrs blake was one of those reliable
sympathetic & adorable women
sufficiently fascinating
a poor colourer, brunette & very pretty
oh great preacher, I feel lonely
like a girl painting her nails at your gravesite
I am painting my nails at your gravesite
I know my gender is unwieldy
like a side of beef in the wrong setting
the symbols have been shuffled
but I fear we are too similar
like lovers with the same immune system
you made an impression
your light-coloured hair was said to be tinged by gold and reminiscent of a lion’s mane
you have been a good wife, he roared
never been anybody’s wife, I said, partly flattered
her only shortcoming was her inability to provide her husband with children
an unconventional & rebellious quality
her only shortcoming was that she was not her own person
which was not in fact her fault
his fascination with esoteric sexuality put great strain on the marriage
he wrote an instructional manual for his wife
let’s call it sexual magic
she was an excellent cook
he thought the wine glass system absurd
& preferred to drink from tumblers
it sure pays off to think about the prophecies
he said on his deathbed, began to sing hallelujahs and songs of joy
I do not always understand his writings, she whispered
but I’m sure they have a meaning
she may have been exposed to long passages of recitation
in old age became ill-tempered & suspicious
you have been a good wife, he told me
there were angels clustering in trees
I consulted my oracle
explained I was communing with the dead
only speak with the spirits of women she warned me
but I grew feisty & protective
sympathised with his emotional troubles
admired his high, austere & lonely way
you have a strong shadow, he told me, which is the best compliment a ghost can give
I must content myself with such perfect things as these
traces of disorder
burning couplets
very fierce inspiration
slept continuously for three days and nights
like every true mystic