Otesanek

Mud and straggled hair,
eyes crazed in the moonlight
of the woods.
Hacking at the soil
just like the witch had told her.
Just like the witch had told her!

All she ever wanted was a baby
but her body told her no!
What is a woman to do?
What is a woman to do?

A glint of golden root
to drag back home behind her
like a dog.
Seems it has a taste for meat,
just like the witch had told her
Just like the witch had told her!

Otesanek
Eating up larder
Otesanek
Eating up the house
Otesanek
Eating up the street
Otesanek

All I ever wanted to be was a Christmas tree
with its pretty bows and bells,
and its flashy blinky lights of joy
but the forest told me no!

There goes the cat!
There goes the teacher!
There goes the policeman!
There goes his mother!
Mother! Mother! Mother!

A flash of silver
in the hands of the stern
old woman.
Hacking at the tree
just like the book had told her
Just like the book had told her!

Otesanek
Out comes the cat
Otesanek
Out comes the teacher
Otesanek
Out comes the policeman
Otesanek
Out comes the mother
Otesanek

I'm in the forest.
I'm a tiny shoot
of shivering green.

© Mark Sheeky. Permission is required for reproduction.