Saraswati Nagpal

Spear-child

Saraswati Nagpal

Before I grew ears, was your voice— shiver on ectoderm dawn in amniotic sky silk in placental dream that split

I slithered out, the world a bright fuzz your cries red with love and blood I heard

True North, your voice

was starlight fire, river, sun fed my bones, your words grew me, grew inside me like fire-seeds, and I became a forest of thunder, lightning in my tongue.

Saraswati Nagpal is an Indian writer and poet, a lover of fantasy and sci-fi. Her graphic novels 'Sita, Daughter of the Earth' and 'Draupadi, the Fire-born Princess' are retellings of epic Indian myths in the female voice. Her poetry has appeared in Cathexis Northwest Press and The Journal of Radical Wonder. She is also a classical dancer who choreographs and performs for film and stage. When she isn't writing, she attempts to inspire teenagers by teaching literature. Twitter: @SaraswatiNagpal / Insta: @saraswatinagpal