Content Warning: violence, death, blood
Paul atten Ash – Moonblood
Her water spirit ripples,
the earth flatlines, the bloodstone
crimson ortholith glistens, and all
is pared back to animal.
Earthy iron of the unborn,
the moonblood an algal bloom of
toxic river, virgin country leached
of all that she has given.
The ashes of our children,
their souls eaten by bloated Moon.
His belly slit, blood dripping in a
seethe-stream of fire ants.
You, from the true blood,
you – from the centre where it fell
like warm rain, the spot where the
blood was thickest – it is
you I fear the most.
Paul atten Ash is the pen name of writer and composer Paul Nash, who lives in Bristol with his family. His work has been published internationally by Bent Key Publishing, Boudicca Press, Ginkgo Prize, International Library of Poetry (ILP), Luain Press, Poetry School, the6ress, Tiny Seed Press, Visual Verse, among others, in numerous journals and anthologies. ‘Vital Signs’ was shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize 2023; ‘Eryri’ was shortlisted in the AONB ‘Best Poem of Landscape’ category of the Ginkgo Prize 2021; and ‘Tsunami’ won the ILP International Open Amateur Poetry Contest 1999. Website: https://campsite.bio/northseanavigator
Photograph: The Temple of the Skull by Simon Alderwick
Simon Alderwick grew up in Surrey but now lives in West Wales after several years in the Philippines. His poetry has appeared in Magma, The Telegraph, Ink Sweat & Tears, Anthropocene, Poetry Salzburg, Acropolis, Dust, Frogmore Papers, London Grip, and elsewhere. His debut pamphlet, ways to say we're not alone, will be released by Broken Sleep Books in February 2024.