Ashes and Spark by K. A. Laity

Art by Liliana Kleiner

I chase the night like a lover

Black velvet under my nails 

I taste stars on my tongue 

And sleep amongst the satyrs 

Nest with owls and their eggs 

Because I am a mother too, 

Creator of monsters they say 

My children have eyes of flame 

And howls that speak your pain 

I would not trade my life for anything 

As poor as that man who yelped 

The first time I bit him 

From the ashes I too rise 

Though my hair is black 

My fire is red, my ink eternal 

You cannot contain my spark

Poem excerpted from Original Resistance: Reclaiming Lilith, Reclaiming Ourselves.

K. A. Laity is an award-winning author, scholar, critic and arcane artist. Her books include How to Be Dull, White Rabbit, Dream Book, A Cut-Throat Business, Lush Situation, Owl Stretching, Unquiet Dreams, Chastity Flame, and Pelzmantel. She has edited My Wandering Uterus, Respectable Horror, Weird Noir, Noir Carnival and Drag Noir, plus written many short stories, scholarly essays, songs, and more. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.