corbie agus fear

a black bird, wrinkles around its eyes
looks at me closely without blinking
asks why it can’t be the voice of reason
for generations of lost deplumed

i say maybe it’s ‘cos you look scary
like plague doctors of old who’ve lost their hats
and snip their beaks at prancing corpses
at generations of lost deplumed

that black bird, a noose around its neck
clears its throat, hysterically coughing
says it cannot die ‘cos it has wings
to spite generations of lost deplumed

i say maybe it’s ‘cos you haven’t tried
i’ve vast experience from which to teach
of dying and rising and decrying death
through generations of lost deplumed

and so the black bird shrugs, and it sniffs
it asks me if i have crumbs to feed it
i say metal ones, and then i shoot it
for the generations of lost deplumed

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2023

yggdrasil’s dream

at world’s end hung the bearded axe of doom
waiting to hew from all trees their ravens
i hugged to myself as if this would protect
teeny in my chest such tremulous clot

but still it was a seedling at my core
but still the stramash was hard to ignore

through arch at twig’s end i quailed to see
yond the chaos and atom of dark design
clung did ravens to my denuded branches
with talons adamantine and whetted

but still there was the theurgy of fate
but still fear uprooted to axe’s dictate

when will for always intersect with my growth rings
or will i weaken at the root and fall to ruin
dare this seedling float on the eddies of wind
or from cradle to grave grow through rain and pain

but still brute divines have smote me
but still to the sun as new tree i devote me

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2020

Oops!… We Did It Again (27 white raven club)

Erm… hullo there. (This is rather awkward…)

Dear Reader, the stuff that was originally posted here has been removed.

We have done this because said stuff has since been included in one of our published books. We hope you’ll believe us when we say we’re not trying to be stingy. No, this has been done to honour the people who have already spent their hard-earned money on our eBook creations.*

If, however, for some reason you’re unable to buy one of our books, and feel you’ll die without seeing this piece of writing, then please contact us via admin@unbolt.me. We won’t allow our Dear Readers to fade away in the dark. We’ll send you the piece in question, and it will be absolutely free. All you need do is ask.

* Of course, we would be like two happy puppies if you too decided to buy one of our books.

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2017-2018