MR. HANSEL, MR. GRETEL Poem by Paul Perry

in the forest in the forest in the forest in the forest in the forest
where you were sent to eat to drink to sit and wait to perish
farther darker deeper into time my time no time your mother's
womb expelled and where I she anyway no one seems to know
but I do might have once before the other came from the forest

with rain with rain with rain with rain with rain amen
soil beneath her fingernails ice in her hair her eyes
made from November and when she touched me I
came to life and swore I had never known or begat what not
or they that cried and huddled and famished sent to

the centre the centre the centre the centre the centre
where the river ends and the voices stop and the moon
the moon it does nothing but announces night and winter
and lights no one's way because she will have her say and
you your body grows too fast and needs too much

of home of home of home of home of home
where I waited for you only to send you back
only to wait for you only to love you more than I could
only to hold you to save you by speaking your names
buried beneath with with with who who her yes

in the forest the forest the forest the forest the forest