Wanderer

I wonder if she ever considered,
as her bare feet married solid ground
after three treacherous weeks,
that her cradle wasn’t the only one
occupied by hellish beasts;
that the spirits and demons she knew
from her time in that grassy basin
couldn’t sail with her across the ocean
or protect her from the monsters
that hid beneath her notion.

I wonder if she intended,
given man’s fragile ego,
to keep shallow her roots
without regard for wind’s ferocity
or how much lightning shoots.
I left my home at seventeen, too,
covered in blood and shame,
but with a sturdy spine –
maybe that’s what she left for me,
to lead me back to what is mine.

Ash Muzzillo (she/her) is an author, poetess, and essayist residing on Massachusett land. She recently earned her BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies, and is currently pursuing a MA in English Writing. Her poetry has been published in multiple hosts, most recently Bloodlust Magazine. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Jaded Jesters Society, a new, independent literary magazine. When she's not at work or in class, Ash can usually be found knees-deep in a Wikipedia rabbit hole or playing video games in her cave. She can be found at ashmuzzillo.com.