Wife of Cain

by JaLeah Hedrick

Wife of Cain

Oh motherless thing, first of us to be
erased. Not even Eve with her clout
could keep your name in the Book.
You wandered (an animal) into that exurb
of Eden. How did they make you human first?
Wash you in the water of heaven, rinse away
the scent of earth, that you could be Woman now.
Which is to say: nothing. No longer a wonder
but a vessel, claimed by the firstborn
of God’s many sons. Did he clench your wrists
and lead you to the light, oblivion? All that’s left
of you are questions       absence
on an earth smeared thick with your children.

Poet JaLeah Hedrick is a Midwestern small-towner who writes poetry and fiction. She is the author of Run Off: Poetry of Changing Places (Ghost City Press, 2020). Her work has also appeared in Columbia Poetry Review, Sugar House Review, Manifest West Anthology, and other places.

Artist Zoe Stanek was born in Nebraska, raised in Western Colorado, and has found her place among the trees in Oregon’s Pacific Northwest. She’s a creator who takes inspiration from landscapes and everyday magic. Her dream is to become a published author. Zoe sells her work online.