'Mandrake Roots', by Zhen Huang
herbal puppet,
little man dancing
with your great tap root,
small song-&-dance man
cloven-hoofed as the Devil—
no wonder you make such noise!
O Mandrake
putting out fine root hairs…
for centuries
Pythagoras & Theophrastus
sang your praises—
blessed you as aphrodisiac
& soporific,
blasted your resemblance
to man.
Like man you are tricky, devious,
double-natured;
like man you curse & bless.
Like man you are a poisoner
& a love-bringer;
like man you take
what you can.
O Mandrake
bringer of fruitfulness & potency,
lamp in the darkness,
killer of starving dogs,
shrieker, gallowsman, dragon-doll—
you were once thought beneficent
in Biblical times,
but gradually the Devil claimed you.
You grew at the foot
of the gallows,
lapping up dead men’s sperm,
giving birth only to death.
& yet we all give birth
to only death,
& your other attributes—
O bringer of treasure, sensuality, love,
success in battle—
also lead to death.
So dance little Mandrake
in your doubleness.
Rejoice at the gallows’ foot.
You are indeed a dress rehearsal for man,
& we shall join you underground
soon enough.
© Erica Jong, Witches (1981)
The Daily Waffle 