Daughter : Herald of the Earth
A . J . M . Aldrian
My ligaments of rot rose forth from the muck eager and hungry , sticking to the oozing Earth . Clawing out of the darkness , in her moist labor , green grasses embrace me like amniotic fluid and vines of poisoned ivy cling to me like placenta . I , freed parasite of the swamp ’ s flesh , bit onto the Earth ’ s bosom like a viper teeth sunk into her wet skin and I drank her rusty blood dry . Born am I . Now I rise , formed from tendons of tree bark and muscles of mushroomed moss , Herald of the Earth am I . screaming , throat full cockroaches and mouth full of mice voice clammy with spiderwebs and wolf ’ s eyes wither , I am made feet of bog-flame wend the way and arms of branch limbs reaching , fleshy , putrid stags ’ heart that pumps my wolfsbane veins rancid bears ’ lungs and redwood ribs unbreakable as stone , alone . Hear me break my slimy ties and scratch over the forest floor I come to make you undone .