128 words, 16 lines
Free Verse
her voice rises shrill as her lips move about,
a fright she is, as her green face floats,
its flickering light casts shadows on the wall
colored by the herbs in her garden in and out
tarragon, lovage, thistle, fennel, basil,
borage, mint, parsley, hemp, chervil
rosemary, lemon grass, thyme, and dill
at the right side of her flower beds sway
but away on the left, on the darkened earth
lizard tails, shards of mirrors, broken bones
and wasps’ stings grotesque, laced with blood
pigeon eyes, frog tongues, and machete bits stray
then whatever it is she does mix, she offers
and says to try her witch’s brew for what wrecks
you, and enchanted, you think she has genie’s magic
not knowing her customs, your end turns tragic