SHAPESHIFTER

After Richard Dawson, Jordan Maason

(a brown-haired Burgundian whore) (was dug up) (from a burial ground)
(in Newcastle) (this week) (and all the villagers went to see) (the one you
knew) (with the sagging tit) (and the hidden limp) (who stole your two
gold coins) (and died in the agonies of labor) (I walked) (the twelve miles)
(to see her shriveled sex) (to see the remains) (of what you'd done) (but I
couldn't stop) (I couldn't stop) (you lured me) (into the river) (with your
curling tongue) (your glistening eyes) (a woman) (with a sturgeon’s nose)
(beneath her belly) (a trove of her caviar) (blooming) (in the greening
ripples) (I relented) (like the bowing cattails) (swaying in the marsh)
(I collapsed) (and floundered) (uncontrollabe) (in the vertigris) (slick) (and
clumsy) (against errant fins) (and scales) (every night) (for nine months)
(which was enough) (I knew) (it would not look like me) (you are all born)
(fully formed) (so ready) (with a desire) (you cannot wield) (I begged you)
(for days) (not to) (but you chose) (to return) (to your dumb) (and muted
form) (the water grew still) (and horridly pale) (now) (at the lip of the
river) (I am submerged) (in the empty mire) (I should have stolen
something) (from you too) (your oily eyes) (your cruel evil laugh)
(something to keep) (from your unbreakable body) (people stare) (at me
naked) (wading here) (for hours) (cumming) (without relief) (they sent the
priest to my door) (last week) (but I howled at him) (like a dog) (until he
ran off) (screaming) (the Burgundy woman) (is better off than I)
(yesterday) (I clapped my hands) (with fairy magic) (until they bled)
(some witch in the bog) (told me) (it would bring you back) (but no
matter) (I caught a sturgeon) (in the river) (today) (when I cut her open)
(her salt rounds) (glittered up) (at me) (like a sac) (of stolen gold coins)