Ashes of a Loved One

The fire consumes my body as you did when I lived my moisture my flesh even my soul and you will devour me again after the heavy weight crushes my smoking bones honeycombed dry by heat thighs and skull too thick to reduce to velvet ash mistake of blackened catfish delicacy of creoles home born slave I will be your delicacy melting over your tongue as in life when you licked length of lips you will sprinkle me over cornflakes the singed wheatgerm of my fingers mix my body grainy and reduced like rubbed in pastry with flour and butter in equal parts bake me again to freeze in foil packages celebrate this anniversary year after year defrost me ice me dress me up in chocolate sprinkles glace cherries savour my body again remember me in your mouth through your nostrils consume the ashes of your loved one

Works by Jill Battson

• • In Summer

• • Ashes Of A Loved One