Green Demise
by Ashton-Taylor Ackerson
Wicked green-skinned gremlin,
With ornate orbs for eyes,
And teeth that could tear apart my flesh,
Ruthlessly you emerge from the vast sea of stars,
Only to wash ashore,
On this suspended self-destructing island,
Ripe with water and flame,
Its life choking on poison,
Clinging to the air,
Laden with unwavering disease,
My gaze flicks across this wasted land,
You are the greenest thing I see,
Each breath you take enthralling,
Teach me your native tongue,
A symphony of clicks and pops,
Teach me how to rule,
Your clawed hand in mine,
Teach me how to leave this galaxy,
And this life of mine behind,
Or launch me into the sun,
You decide.
With ornate orbs for eyes,
And teeth that could tear apart my flesh,
Ruthlessly you emerge from the vast sea of stars,
Only to wash ashore,
On this suspended self-destructing island,
Ripe with water and flame,
Its life choking on poison,
Clinging to the air,
Laden with unwavering disease,
My gaze flicks across this wasted land,
You are the greenest thing I see,
Each breath you take enthralling,
Teach me your native tongue,
A symphony of clicks and pops,
Teach me how to rule,
Your clawed hand in mine,
Teach me how to leave this galaxy,
And this life of mine behind,
Or launch me into the sun,
You decide.
Ashton-Taylor Ackerson is the co-founder and editor of Crown & Pen. She holds a BA in English from the University of Texas at Austin and writes poetry and fiction. She has published several poems through Crown & Pen, as well as her short story, "Limpia." Her poem "Woman With a Whip" has been published in ARC Journal. In addition to her work with online literary magazines, Ashton-Taylor is currently working on her first poetry collection, which she hopes to publish in 2021.