Lift the dust cover, gently. The centauris old, in bits, you may lose some. His hooves paw straw in a glass case. They kick. Comb the feathering with care. Ears share a drawer with jet eyesand a warped arrow. Use a damp sponge.He still calls from his voice boxfor Scotch on the rocks. Ignore.Braid his white tail in a chunky plait,truss the chaos with ropes to secure.Rub his freckled back, curry his sides,soothe the scar on his neck with lanolin.When you polish his knuckles, forgetyour bruises. They’re safe in the chestwith dead ends, nightmares and shadowshe fought. Air out these memoriesand fold away. Replace his musty shroud.Turn off the lights when you leave. He is happiest in the dark.
Notes from a Centaur’s Curator
Gwen Sayers
Feature Date
- December 10, 2024
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“Notes from a Centaur’s Curator” from Ghost Sojourn by Gwen Sayers.
Published by Southword Editions in 2024.
Copyright © 2024 by Gwen Sayers.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced by Poetry Daily with permission.
Gwen Sayers worked as a physician in South Africa, Seattle, and London where she lives. She holds an MA Creative Writing from the University of London. Her chapbook Ghost Sojourn won the Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition and is a Poetry Book Society Choice. She won First Prize in the Magma Poetry Competition. Her poems appear widely in magazines including Unbroken Journal, DMQ Review, Propel Magazine, Acumen, and Tears in the Fence.
Cork
Ireland
Munster Literature Centre
Gwen Sayers worked as a doctor in South Africa, Seattle, and London where she lives. Her poetry has been published widely in magazines and anthologies, most recently, Propel Magazine Issue 9 (Ed. Fran Lock), Acumen, DMQ Review, Unbroken Journal, Right Hand Pointing, and Tears in the Fence. She won First Prize in the Magma Poetry Competition in 2022, and has been a Forward Prize nominee for best single poem.
“Ghost Sojourn is a powerfully evocative and haunting collection that explores diverse themes of memory, trauma, and loss. Sayers deftly weaves vivid narratives rich with symbolism that are both intimate and emotionally resonant. From the ghostly presence of departed loved ones to eerie encounters with waxwork figures and forest witches, the collection takes readers on a mesmerising journey through the labyrinth of the mind. Ghost Sojourn is at once a poignant and visceral reminder of the transient nature of life and the enduring power of memory.” – Louise Buchler
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