Tancred and his sidekicks used to cast a multitude of spells. Their saddlebags were filled to the brim with greed-powder for the jealous and cannon-powder for the violent. Smoke-and-mirrors-powde ... [+]
An Algonquin Woman Saves Herself
Sometimes, a fishhook
and a bit of flesh
are all you need
to save your baby
and yourself.
Take the knife,
slice off a piece of thigh,
and with that meaty part
of your own body:
Bait the hook.
Savor
the sweet taste of the fish,
the cool,
arctic flavor of this lake trout
that saves you.
Everything may be frozen,
encased in the ice
that killed your tribesmen.
Your son may grow cruel.
But for now:
You survive.
You need only
a knife, a hook,
madness enough
to sliver your own flesh.