Every Ravening Thing

Author of two previous collections of poetry: BLACK HOPE (1997) and ANTIDOTE FOR NIGHT (2015). de la O is also the publisher of the journal ASKEW.

Keats at Fourteen

She dozes, her nails fretted against the linen’s border,

a hectic rose flaming each cheek. Her lips move, no words.

The boy is guardian spirit, no one but he enters this sickroom

where his mother fades, home finally after six years—failures,

disgrace. Scarlet daughter, neighbors hiss, slave to appetite,

but John is single-minded—she will live. No one but he gives her

the tincture of mercury—one tenth of a grain daily, dabs the sweat

of her fevers away, a basket of withered poppies at his feet. He pierces

each capsule with a needle, drops it in a small glazed crock to warm

near the stove, sweat out the opium. Then he’ll add wine, saffron,

nutmeg. It takes time, the hour darkens. He cups his hand

to light the votive. She moans a furred voice from webbed lungs,

a cup of black blood brimming, the pilgrim is fleeing the City,

he leans in closer, the City of Destruction, takes her clammy hand,

that place also where he was born, so close now he’s breathing her,

“Johnny,” she cries, “lift me up, Johnny, your father is here in the room.