A few things cunning women do
“…the virtue of word, herb, & stone: which is used
by unlawful charms, without natural causes.”
– King James VI & I, Daemonologie
Accessorise dirt-scuffed jeans
with bramble-stain lips –
three hares away
from cronehood.
time will tell. Greet magpies
and interpret the response:
the petrol spill shake of tail
feathers, a crackle in her throat.
Always thank the messenger,
even for bad news.
Ask streambed stones
what passing currents can teach
you: a way to churn dreams so
the good ones rise, how to read
the moon’s slow hoarfrost reveal.
Kate Garrett is a writer, editor, mama, and folklore obsessive who sometimes haunts 465-year-old houses (as a heritage volunteer). Born in rural southern Ohio, Kate moved to England in 1999, where she still lives, currently halfway up a hillside in Sheffield. www.kategarrettwrites.co.uk