Maureen Clark

The First Egg

you did you not hire me
to nurse your new baby    and now

you want me to concoct a potion
to cure a rash    give me three hairs

from your head  and the first egg
laid on the Sabbath

you want me to cook bent pins
in a pot of urine to know

if your wife is unfaithful
want me to interpret your sneezes

to know if you’ll have a good harvest
I’ll walk in and out of the sick room

three times to take the disease with me
yes I cursed the person

who would not give me milk
do your sneezes  come with apparitions

bringing bad news    it is possible
that you will die soon