How These Spells Begin

I am delighted to share a poem from Caron McCloud this week. Also known as Mama McCloud, she is a voice of uncompromising truth and kindness in the Cosmic Cowgirl’s creative rodeo. As you sink into the world she creates in this beautifully specific memory, I invite you to remember some landmarks from your own childhood. Make a list of objects from childhood and see if you can tease out the beginnings of your legend in how Young You responded to each item on the list. When I read this poem, I remembered looking out at the neighbor’s trees and eating the bitter tips of spider plant leaves. Even then, I was seeking places and tastes outside of the bland suburban fare I was served. Let yourself respond to this poem from the point of view of your young Legendary Self. You might be surprised at what she remembers.

How These Spells Begin

Eden is in her sun room. She is
surrounded by a jungle of house plants—her
Garden of Eden. It is morning—her
time of day. In the corner of the window screen
a spider annexes silver and magenta veined leaves
from the Wandering Jew into her doilied domain.
A tiny lizard suns herself on the toe of Eden’s slipper.
Eden is standing at her ironing board.
She is sewing of course—a Wonder Woman uniform
for my doll. She is frowning her famous frown
of intense concentration—that frown
that I diligently practice throughout my childhood,
because my mother is beautiful, and I want
to look as much like her as soon as I possibly can.




Caron McCloud is a poet, writer, and artist residing in Port Townsend, Washington with her partner of fifteen years Jim Wilson. She has one son, two daughters, three granddaughters and four great grandsons. She has published a book on Old Testament women “RACHEL’S BAG In Search of the Qabalah of Our Mother’s”, and a dozen chapbooks of poetry which she is currently preparing for a collection “NEON CUNEIFORM”.
Cosmic Cowgirls can submit poems and a brief bio via The Rodeo of the Soul Magazine Group  www.rodeoofthesoul.com (Submissions may be edited due to space constraints. Please limit submissions to 250 words.)