Porphyria’s Lover

Anna Cates

Porphyria’s Lover

She is his summer fruit
and autumn harvest—
He tastes in her
the change
in seasons
spring grass
in cow’s milk
first dandelions
in her blood
even the moon
full and mesmerizing
on thawing
lake water

When the green deepens
buzzes to life
with honeybees
he hears them
through diurnal dreams
droning throughout
the countryside
terrible and bright,
far beyond his casket
his soul as riddled
with holes as a hive

In his nightmare
he dons a top hat
and stylish walking stick
picnics with her
in a meadow
of daffodils
laughs merrily
like a dandy—
They devour
fresh strawberries
and cream
rich fecundity
dripping from
their chins . . .

He awakens
screaming in agony
gagging on his tongue—
Oh, what hope remains
for the damned?
He can never behold
a field of wildflowers—
His eyes open
only in the dark

the pulse
about her neck—
night rose

______________

Dr. Anna Cates teaches college and graduate level writing, literature, and education online.  She has published a variety of books (poetry, fiction, and drama) through www.cyberwit.net, prolificpress.com, redmoonpress.com, and wipfandstock.com.  Her full-length poetry collection Love in the Time of Covid won an Illumination Book Award.  She resides in Wilmington, Ohio with her two beautiful kitties.  

Author’s Backstory: “Porphyria’s Lover” underwent many changes and revisions before Abyss & Apex picked it up. As it was not immediately where it needed to be before arriving at its final version, and as such a time passed before version one and the final version, I don’t remember exactly what inspired it. Perhaps as I was writing some peace-themed short form poems on the war in Ukraine, and researching their flora and fauna, I drifted over into Romania, which borders Ukraine, and fell under the spell of their folkloric tropes. In my poem, we might see an interesting irony in the Wordsworthian idealism of the vampire’s dreams and the day-marish impact that has upon him.  

Editor’s Notes and/or Image Credit: As input to the Microsoft Designer: “abstract: He wears a top hat and a night rose around his neck, his lover, Porphyria next to him; he awakens screaming in agony gagging surrounded by fruit,” the surreal image captures some of the elements in the poem.