Broken mirrors, graveyard dust, chicken bones,
Thorns and brambles, rusty knives, coffin nails,
Black cat hair, black hen egg, cracked river stones,
Burnt up roses, razor blades, adder scales,
Venomous spiders, rattle snakes, henbane,
Glass shards, bent pins, dried blood, black candle wax,
Locks of hair, fingernails, a red wheat grain,
Thrice knotted rope, poppet dolls, carpet tacks,
Dove’s blood ink, black binding thread, mullein weed,
Parchment paper, left rabbit’s foot, dark rum,
Dead dog’s fang, dead man’s tooth, poppy seeds,
Toads, flies, stinging insects, urine, spit, scum,
Quart size Mason jars with tight fitting lids.
And now they pay for all the things they did.

[Juleigh Howard-Hobson’s work has appeared in scores of journals across the world, including Eye to the Telescope, Anima, Enchanted Conversation, Riddled with Arrows, Polu Texni, Coffin Bell, The Literary Hatchet, Illumen, Fairy Magazine, Breach and Star*Line. She lives in the cold grey Pacific Northwest where she writes numinous poetry and practices useful magic. Noms: Pushcart, Best of the Net, Rhysling. Pronouns: She/Her.]