Malleus Maleficarum
primrose in my bathwater
rose quartz between my toes
mistletoe on my door
daisies in a vase on the floor
spell me
lavender in my tea
peppermint on my tongue
witch me
turn me into stone
fly me to the trees
eat me
devour my unborn children
consume my words alive
drown me
hold me underwater
fill my lungs with air
burn me
tie me to the pyre
cover me in flame
let me
hold your clawed hand
massage your bird feet
let us come together
let it echo in the trees

Courtney Bates-Hardy is the author of House of Mystery (2016) and the chapbook Sea Foam (JackPine Press, 2013). Her poems have appeared in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Juniper, Room and This Magazine. One of her poems is forthcoming in Best Canadian Poetry 2021 (Biblioasis). More: Twitter @PoetCourtney