December 2018
NOTE: I have been interested in the forms of power exerted by those who have limited access to power in society. I have also been exploring the idea of night versus day as a metaphor for different versions of power. Last summer I participated in a workshop led by Tom Montag where he shared with us the idea of writing a poem in the form of a spell. This form seemed to match up with what I wanted to say about power and darkness. More about me and my poetry can be found at sylviacavanaugh.com.
Woman’s Spell
O, Midnight Hekate
with loyal black dog
save Persephone
from the underworld
O, Harriet Tubman
conduct the world
to freedom
along the underground
secret terrain
living train
O, Hellen Keller
see the world
with your fingers
and name the causes
of blindness
name ignorance
name poverty
name the cruelty
of commercial society
strong night
now sink Apollo
that maker of heroes
and shadows
here in the dark
just us
let justice
bring another type
of light
© 2018 Sylvia Cavanaugh
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