Copper Nickel

Charm for Theft of Cattle

By

transformed from the Old English

Let the cattle
wander back to me
following the stars.

If someone has stolen
my cows and bulls
I hope he owns no land.

If someone has stolen
my frolicking calves
I will set him on fire.

May his bones
be delicate
like thistles

oh so
easily devoured
by the ones I love.

Featured in
Poetry  |  First posted on 04.14.2025
About Milena Williamson: Originally from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Milena Williamson has lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, since 2017. A recipient of the Eric Gregory Award, she is the author of the full-length poetry collection Into the Night that Flies So Fast (Dedalus, 2024), which explores the life of Bridget Cleary, and the pamphlet Charm for Catching a Train (Green Bottle, 2022).