The World Literature Blog

Glopowrimo #13

Believe it or not
there are ghostly incantations
spells that are cast
at midnight, and in graveyards
tantric ones, some chants
invoking the help of spirits
that can bind a man or woman
to another
in strange charms
if done aright -
believe it or not!

There once lay a maid
on a perfumed bed
Her eyes were closed
her dreams were sweet
when suddenly she felt
a man standing by her
who reached for her breast
and said, "do not move",
who slid under her coverlet -
She froze into a trance
did she wake or sleep? -
while the stranger, at the chance
did his bidding, & left
When she woke up, next
there was nothing in the room
except for the curtains moving
moving, not at rest!

There once slept a man
in a flowery bower -
a king or prince, they said -
when a white light entered
his sleeping tower
took the form of a woman
floating 'bove the ground
beautiful, and then she laughed
taking off her wrap
He watched, transfixed, unable to move
as she climbed into his bed
When he woke up, she was gone
but the bedsheet was sweat-wet!

There are stranger stories
of love made to the dead
of necrophilia in a boat
to an old lover's corpse
by a man who had turned
to the left-hand
path, it was rumoured -
a rumour full of dread!

But the strangest one of all
was of a lady who, 'twas said
turned into a snake
to clasp to herself, in coils
her lover who'd just died
and with her forked tongue kissed him
often, in the neck
while his 'corse' she dragged along
to the sea, to sink
into its deep crevices
with him, fore'er, but cleft!

There are other tales too
of deeds done after death
of spirits meeting in the air
commingling in the sky
restless, restless in the heart
and to the end, beware!
Going through some turbulence
caused in this life, to them
ne'er able to cease from wand'ring
spirits wanting yet
union with other sprites or souls
cut from the same breath
tossing, turning, waiting for,
bodies to possess
to go, & try to fulfill then
their longings best left unexpressed!
Yes! There are other tales!