Through frost-thick weather br This witch sidles, fingers crooked, as if br Caught in a hazardous medium that might br Merely by its continuing br Attach her to heaven. br br At eye's envious corner br Crow's-feet copy veining on a stained leaf; br Cold squint steals sky's color; while bruit br Of bells calls holy ones, her tongue br Backtalks at the raven br br Claeving furred air br Over her skull's midden; no knife br Rivals her whetted look, divining what conceit br Waylays simple girls, church-going, br And what heart's oven br br Craves most to cook batter br Rich in strayings with every amorous oaf, br Ready, for a trinket, br To squander owl-hours on bracken bedding, br Flesh unshriven. br br Against virgin prayer br This sorceress sets mirrors enough br To distract beauty's thought; br Lovesick at first fond song, br Each vain girl's driven br br To believe beyond heart's flare br No fire is, nor in any book proof br Sun hoists soul up after lids fall shut; br So she wills all to the black king. br The worst sloven br br Vies with best queen over br Right to blaze as satan's wife; br Housed in earth, those million brides shriek out. br Some burn short, some long, br Staked in pride's coven. br br br Anonymous submission.