Did she believe you were a womb? Not branched
fruit, blanched, beneath a flower moon, unpruned
since winter, heavy fruit, sour avalanche
to climb, escape spectral pursuit. Marooned
atop its fifteen feet, did she believe
you safe, discrete? Hidden, citrus crèche,
same branches rocked her cradle, briar weave
family decided to leave, protects
two siblings until they are found. Did she
reconsider, falling down, fractured
on apathetic ground, how easily
you’d let her go like fruit, tree limb shattered
on grass below — that tree she believed a womb
one night effortlessly became a tomb?
—Published 30th of May 2019
‘Lemon Womb’ is a companion piece to ‘Rosemancy’ which was published on Pulp Poets Press here.
About Kristin Garth
Kristin Garth is a Pushcart, Best of the Net & Rhysling nominated sonnet stalker. Her poetry has stalked magazines like Glass, Yes, Five:2: One, Former Cactus, Occulum & many more. She has six chapbooks including Shakespeare for Sociopaths (Hedgehog Poetry Press), Pink Plastic House (Maverick Duck Press), Puritan U (Rhythm & Bones Press March 2019) and The Legend of the Were Mer (Thirty West Publishing House March 2019). Her full length, Candy Cigarette is available now from The Hedgehog Poetry Press), and a fantasy collaborative full length A Victorian Dollhousing Ceremony forthcoming in June (Rhythm & Bones Lit). In January of 2020, she has a full length Flutter: Southern Gothic Fever Dream from TwistiT Press and Dewy Decimals from Arkay Artists. Follow her on Twitter: (@lolaandjolie), and her website kristingarth.com