After the Blood had Dried
By
James Kowalczyk
in the season of the wretched fiend
when everything dies
we begin the ritual by first
extracting the teeth one by one, then
suddenly, a silent black scream swallows
the entire cave, trembling our insides
it was the first time for the malediction
taught to us by the Elders; however, we
could not all agree on the sequence
of chants, hums, and refrains
transfiguration requires a steady energy
flow modulating via the sonic thrust of voices
while extermination or creation is initiated by
arresting molecules of dark electricity
in the end the audio cross-currents manifested
a thing with no face, eight feet at its shoulder,
crawling on all fours, eventually consuming
all of my companions, but I
James Kowalczyk was born and raised in Brooklyn but now lives in Northern California with his wife, two daughters and three cats. His poetry and fiction has been published both in print and online. He teaches English at the high school and college levels. here to edit.
By
James Kowalczyk
in the season of the wretched fiend
when everything dies
we begin the ritual by first
extracting the teeth one by one, then
suddenly, a silent black scream swallows
the entire cave, trembling our insides
it was the first time for the malediction
taught to us by the Elders; however, we
could not all agree on the sequence
of chants, hums, and refrains
transfiguration requires a steady energy
flow modulating via the sonic thrust of voices
while extermination or creation is initiated by
arresting molecules of dark electricity
in the end the audio cross-currents manifested
a thing with no face, eight feet at its shoulder,
crawling on all fours, eventually consuming
all of my companions, but I
James Kowalczyk was born and raised in Brooklyn but now lives in Northern California with his wife, two daughters and three cats. His poetry and fiction has been published both in print and online. He teaches English at the high school and college levels. here to edit.