Vorest Boar by Bethany Handley (Lucent Dreaming Issue 8)

Over the mines and under the oaks, the cratur ploughs
through the bracken. Followed by a dozen humbugs
it oiks and tosses the drying moss, pizzin’ the vorest,
the nesh ground crumples and flumps, releasing
the hum of the miners as the boar snaps daddocky:
thou’ it the song as they hauled up the dipple, tushin
the coal from the heart of the Dean. Armed with a
comp they peered with blackened yuds, squinting
into the prancing light of the awld vorest.

The jud sleep silently under the ettles. Dyuth
is the food for this great vorest. As the brutish
craturs toss the earth, thee see a new vorest floor.
The rasty mammals, like a strame, are always in
motion. They never quat long in the same bed.
But it is Spring who gyules, as into their destruction,
she breathes a new life into the Vorest of Dean.

Bethany Handley is a Cardiff based poet studying Creative Writing at Cardiff University under poet Robert Walton. Influenced by the nature of the Forest of Dean and the mountains of South Wales, Bethany explores the influence of the landscape on language, politics and mental health in her poetry. She has previously had her poetry broadcasted on Cardiff University’s Student Radio for International Women’s Day, has had work published for a lockdown anthology with A World from My Window and works as a blogger for Scout for Culture and Weekend Candy.

Buy issue 8 today.

Lucent Dreaming is an independent creative writing magazine publishing beautiful, imaginative and surreal short stories, poetry and artwork from emerging authors and artists worldwide. Our aim is to encourage creativity and to help writers reach publication! Subscribe to Lucent Dreaming now, support us on Patreon and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.