fierce, by Angie Contini

The Lion and the Ermine, by Angie Contini (Australia) 2021

fierce​
​
eve, will you choose to be fierce now 
and in becoming fierce be free 
this restless mess is for keeping not culling
this weight for wanting not mocking 
when mocking will end you and me
 
eve, will you choose to be fierce 
with belt on your back nine times
and soap on tongue
and snake at jaw
unjam your pasted-up mouth and roar 
and in roaring be fierce and free
give yourself over to the ease of the effort
this door is not theirs to lock 
when stealing the key and locking will end you and me
 
and eve, 
where you feel yourself empty 
there are bodies within you 
yet thrown
yet cast
yet shaped
eve, are you listening
all fragile mess and pushed-down soul
be the thing pushed down 
be the ache in the neck of the earth
for this is our atlas
the myth we’re in
this holding onto things 
and holding things up
it’s a way for old men 
to keep you—us--
held in
 
and eve, 
when you’re subtle 
and an unseen flame
there’ll be veins to purge  
and a future to ripen
and mocking to kill 
and masks to shed
and there, eve
you’ll be art 
we’ll find a plinth for your mess to be read
 
eve, will you choose to be fierce now

Angie Contini

Angie Contini is an experimental interdisciplinary artist and writer living on Gadigal land (Sydney), with a PhD from the University of Sydney (2018). Specialising in the connection between art, nature and health, Angie works across a broad range of media, including photography, music, collage and poetry. Her work explores themes of mythology, ecology, time and identity through the joyous styles of surrealism, absurdity, burlesque and ornamentation, with a rabid curiosity to harness and celebrate the ever-unfolding delights of sustainable arts practice. For more about Angie’s work visit: 
W: angie contini portfolio
Instagram: @angiecontini