Love Poem: Shamaness
Clive Culverhouse Avatar
Written by: Clive Culverhouse

Shamaness

I remain a stranger
to my husband’s kin
it’s strange I miss their stranger’s skin
but bring taboo to skin they’re in
if words I speak upon their name

I hide my words 
in fear of harm
displease the trees who delivered man
and breezed them on a wind to farm
the land trees put aside for them

in my hands, a harp I made 
bear and eagle, age they gave
a single reed cut from a blade
shamanic lines taught me to play
so free was I in what I say

so put to lips and plucked with breath
my voice through brass
at times bamboo
you will find it placed in my burial 
alongside my husband and his voice too