She Is Spitting a Mouthful of Stars

Photo: Colin Smith

She Is Spitting a Mouthful of Stars (nikâwi's Song)

by Gregory Scofield

She is spitting a mouthful of stars
She is laughing more than the men who beat her
She is ten horses breaking open the day
She is new to her bones
She is holy in the dust

She is spitting a mouthful of stars
She is singing louder than the men who raped her
She is waking beyond the Milky Way
She is new to her breath
She is sacred in this breathing

She is spitting a mouthful of stars
She is holding the light more than those who despised her
She is folding clouds in her movement
She is new to this sound
She is unbroken flesh

She is spitting a mouthful of stars
She is laughing more than those who shamed her
She is ten horses breaking open the day
She is new to these bones
She is holy in their dust



Yesterday, I was criticizing The Walrus, then my eyes turned to page 71. I have trained myself not to read ads. So I read the poem right away, and thought of Jessica Ernst. Then just when I was about to turn the page, I noticed the cover of Slick Water, the book about Jessica Ernst. Maybe, just maybe, The Walrus has redeemed itself.