This year I have been performing my writing at spoken word events, there is a list of them on my chronological archive click here – this Sunday I am performing at the Scarecrow Corner Benefit for Strawberry Fair at the Devonshire Arms in Cambridge, and the organiser of the event -Tim Neate – specifically requested my “Kali Rant”, part of my Wall of Girls blog series.

So here we go
Hope to see you at the Dev from 6pm til late

Kali Invocation

Om Krim Kali Namah
Om Krim Kali Namah
Kali Mati Murti Puja
Sacred Hindu image
Lurid with significance
Queen of darkness
Deep blackest mysteries
My harridan protector
Saver of women

Kali by Tim Neate

Om Krim Kali Namah
Om Krim Kali Namah
Kali four blue arms
Third eye & bindi
Long poking tongue
Beads & necklaces strung
From the faces of dead men
Skirts of their limbs.
All her decapitated enemies.

Om Krim Kali Namah
Om Krim Kali Namah
Kali chthonic radiance.
The clammy stale air
Of the grave
Breathed out at sunrise.
At her feet flowers feed
On spilled blood & flesh
Flowing & clotting, both.

Om Krim Kali Namah
Om Krim Kali Namah
Sharp trident penetrates the sky.
Glowing sunrise morning aura
And against the dark of
Her shimmering black hair,
The reborn and growing
Crescent moon is
Tucked behind her ear.

Om Krim Kali Namah
Om Krim Kali Namah
Kali Chandra crescent moon
Her foot hard down
On Shiva’s naked chest.
He be-cobra-ed ecstatic
Crescent moon waning
And Shri Kali moon waxing
Is premenstrual I think.