The Witch of the Garden of Jewels

By Brittany Warman

for Meenoo Mishra

Sister of springtime, daughter of the mine,

The witch of the garden of jewels.

In your eyes is the flash of labradorite,

In your hair the shimmer of silver.

You tend your garden so carefully,

Sing to each stone the songs of its homeland.

You remind them of their secret strengths,

Whisper the destinies you see for them–

“You, you will be the centerpiece of the necklace of a queen,

And you, the single stone in the single ring of a poor man.

You will adorn a wedding goblet, grant good fortune,

And you, set in a bracelet, will feel life pulsing through a young girl’s wrist.“

You do not mind the amber bees,

Gently move turquoise caterpillars from the path.

From your hands sprout leaves of emerald,

Garnet carnations bloom at your glance.

In your touch is the spell of creation,

A promise already begun.

*

Brittany Warman is a word witch, a faerie folklorist, and a sorceress scholar. She recently earned her PhD in English and Folklore from the Ohio State University, and her creative writing has been published by Uncanny, Apex, Mythic Delirium, Cabinet des Fees, Mirror Dance, and others. She runs the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic (www.carterhaughschool.com) with Sara Cleto, where they teach online courses, blog, build community, and share their love of magic and folklore with others. You can find her online at www.brittanywarman.com as well.