for Wednesday, Morticia, Marie Antoinette & Anne Boleyn 

The brother is first to chop off the head,

a mock execution without the 

red.  Marie Antoinette that never bled,

sister kisses its protrusion gently 

before bed.  Arms intertwine across chest,

the doll will rest in two parts.  Its body 

redressed in a frock for dark arts, request 

of its owner, a miniature witch.  She 

receives her intact, coutured in something French.

The mother recalls own doll Anne Boleyn — 

a name can tell you how it will end — clenches

in fists the first decapitee.  Suspends

chopped head over cup of licorice tea.

All play with the dead in this family. 



Kristin Garth is a Pushcart, Rhysling nominated stalker.  She is a Best of the Net 2020 finalist.  Her sonnets have stalked journals like Glass, Yes, Five:2:One, Luna Luna and more. She is the author of 20 books of poetry including Candy Cigarette Womanchild Noir (Hedgehog Poetry Press), Flutter Southern Gothic Fever Dream (TwistiT Press), and Girlarium (Fahmidan Journal).  She is the founder of Pink Plastic House a tiny journal and co-founder of Performance Anxiety, an online poetry reading series. Follow her on Twitter:  (@lolaandjolie) and her website kristingarth.com