The Botanical Diviner by Shelly Jones
In the morning, she rips sage leaves,
brittle fingernails rending soft flesh,
steeps salvia, asters in boiling water,
watches periwinkle blooms sprout
before reading its lingering sediment.
At night, she wears a crown of bitter grass,
its branching stalks - interlocked arms -
thwart specters that lurk beneath her bed:
a midnight terrarium where dreams
may germinate in fertile solitude.
Shelly Jones, PhD (she/her/hers) is a Professor of English at SUNY Delhi, where she teaches classes in mythology, folklore, and writing. Her speculative work has previously appeared in Podcastle, New Myths, The Future Fire, and elsewhere. Find her on Twitter @shellyjansen.