Elements, by Cassie Frisbie

PIECE OF THE SEASON

Where can one experience katharsis better than in nature? When the wind is weathering

you like a cliff-face, and fills you with its battle-cries? When lightning turns the endless

clouds purple and it feels like anger, like a mother who's left the porch light on? If

wielding fire between our palms doesn't bring us closer to the gods, what was

Prometheus punished for?

1. 🜂 Fire

Widow-Maker

When I was a child I had a beautiful old willow tree

It's core was eaten out by carpenter ants and woodlice

I tear myself open and all I see are crawling bugs and rot

It was only a matter of time before lightning struck

My father called that tree a widow-maker

But what will this make me?

2. 🜄 Water

Lavacre

I go to the river

In the hope that she will

Smooth my edges like a stone

She only tells me

To go home

I haven’t earned

My fangs enough

To see them dull

3. 🜃 Earth

Basalt

When was the last time you erupted?

Tell me, igneous as idiocy, give me

One reason why you should wear down,

Destroy yourself now. The tides have cooled,

You wash along in ease, tumbling in beds

And yet are gruelled. I see you, softly

Eroding into quiet alkaline dust.

God, it's between our very toes, just

Pour it through the hourglass, and

Buy yourself another year.

4. 🜁 Air

Gilded or Gliding?

A wild sparrow

Flitting between birdcages,

Never within brass bars

Among bright finches.

Is it better to be free

Than to be caged

In cheerful company?

Cassie Frisbie has graced our magazine many times. For more pieces, see below, or scour our website.