scent of anise
i've seen children screaming in her eyes
heard them drowning a thousand ways
in her songs
he did that to my dark eyed daughter
the one i named for the scent of anise
the one he raped while she thought starlings
and though she's a survivor of mudslides
i still brush sand from her eyes
wipe monsters from her mouth
watch as she walks carefully
whenever it rains
listen as she sings of blackbirds
whenever it pours
“scent of anise” was originally published in Pith & Wry: Canadian Poetry edited by Susan McMaster. The copyright of this poem remains with me, Monique Chénier. Please credit me if you share it, and kindly direct people to my website.
Monique Chénier - Author 