Manuela Williams is the author of Ghost in Girl Costume (2017). Her work has appeared in Bone Bouquet, 300 Days of Sun, Wicked Alice Zine, and other publications. She writes the "Build Your Brand" column at DIY MFA and is the founder of Your Writing Friend, a coaching service for writers. She is currently an MFA candidate at the University of Nevada, Reno.
from WITCH
I bet you thought the roots
would suffocate me
that somehow all the cold
dirt in the world would find
its way over my eyes
here’s my explanation:
I’ve been hanging
upside down for six years
my hair knows
the ground’s name
and favorite weed
you thought I was
bleeding out from the top
of my head
but all I’ve done
is count the ant colonies
and wait
for the branch
to snap