The Ornamental Hermit

By Molly Burns

I want to forget my voice,

Stand with weeds coiled around my legs, and

My arms outstretched,

Fishing in bone dry blades.

I want to live untamed,

Poisoning myself with berries that ink my fingertips,

Dozing on mulched leaves, and

Braiding my hair in the river’s path.

I want to shed the world from my skin, and

Accept foxes chewing on my toes –

I will welcome furry teeth in exchange 

For moss growing in my ribcage.

Molly Burns is a poet and Creative Writing PhD student. She lives by the sea and can often be found ranting about the benefits of pebble beaches versus sand or tweeting short fiction about the cats she meets day to day. If you would like to know more, follow her on Twitter at @TheMollBurns, or see more work at themollyburns.wordpress.com.