Embrujada by Donna Snyder

she seeks truth in a boy’s flesh
he has none
nothing promised
nothing given
nothing subtle nor redemptive
a flame between her eyes
fire at the tip of a spotted nose
burning bush splinters and ash
disconsolate night gives birth to fate

ancient house of cactus and brick
she howls there in the shadows
a starved dog on a hot night
dystopia present tense and here to stay
decay accumulates with every breath
nothing borrowed and nothing new
honest blues buried in the back yard
a stone grave
a brass bowl
an angel carved from a dead tree
her self caught in bad retro porn
The Devil in Miss Jones
no satisfaction to be had
grace and wisdom another myth

the only truth found in a drunk tattoo
ugly monkey
frog beauty
frantic ache
sad tequila spit of rain across her face
language no more her gorgeous cloud
no mermaid symphony
no siren song
no wild sweet echoing in the dusk
gentle oasis gone dry too damned fast
his warm flesh now snow cold soon old
a foul shadow left behind to tantalize
time chained and drunk in a pine cave
universe dancing to night’s song
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In 2014, Donna Snyder released two books of poetry, Poemas ante el Catafalco: Grief and Renewal (Chimbarazu Press) and I Am South (Virgogray Press). NeoPoiesis Press will publish The Tongue Has Its Secrets in 2015. She coordinates free weekly workshops for the Tumblewords Project, which she founded in 1995. Her blog is poetry from the frontera.