Only A Small Witch
a poem in Fru Aashild’s voice
by Megan Willome
I’m a witch, but a small one, straight
as a candle. The girl with wise eyes—wait—
she saw the elf maiden, went to investigate
Yes, she’ll do.
When trouble came to Haugen, I did not refuse
But met it in my dark-blue dress, silver-buckled shoes
Kristin helped me churn milk since we couldn’t snooze
She did it.
I dug my nails into her bridal hand
To steady her, already pale with child, stunned
By the dark and light shadows where she stood
She’ll do it all again.
As much as I could, I healed her sister,
Healed neighbors, healed daughters and mothers,
Disregarded their whispers
I’d do it again.
I killed a man: my husband, the Boar
With the man who is now my husband, the Bear
Holding me in his arms, there, on the floor
Somehow we did it.
The Bear broke my heart with his knife
Our corpses ignored by rats and mice
Our spirit roamed free as they didn’t in life
He did it.
Eventually to Haugen they returned again
How Erlend could withstand such wind
(It always blows at Haugen) but not Kristin
Well, they did it.
After death I still had a little magic
Entrusted it to a child in a panic
Who found Kristin, and put a stop to the tragic
She dared to do the thing, right or not.
Megan Willome is a writer, editor, and author of The Joy of Poetry and Rainbow Crow, a children’s poetry book. Her day is incomplete without poetry, tea, and a walk in the dark. More writing links at her website and at Poetry for Life.
Project Redux 