The Sunken Swan - Millie Guille

Are you a swan upon this tide,
Or are your feathers welded down?
In reeded rivers will you hide
Or face the water-lily crown,
For though it blossoms for the rich
And only shrivels for the poor,
It holds the surface without glitch
And is a pathway to the shore.

But will the lily hold your weight,
Or will your elongated neck
Be swept away in violent fate
Though no one’s bothering to check.
Let your throat squawk. Before you drown,
Before your feathers dry and moult-
You are a queen, of rivers, lakes,
You were not built to swim through salt.

The Hidden Truth - Millie Guille

Screams curdle the essence of your blood.
They stop the rhythmic beatings of the heart;
A skittish pulse forms and throbs
And creeps its way towards the temple.

I saved her from her father’s curse,
His frantic hands clawing fabric folds
And tearing buttons from her shirt
To accompany his morals on the floor.

I was the hero, just ask the girl.
She’ll tell you indirectly though.
Her voice is lost – the truth remains
Buried and clasped between her lips.