Kat Healy

A 'Visitation' from Mum
KAT HEALY 

She arrives at the oddest of times

like when I chop neeps
for tea with sweet potatoes 

she hovers at the window
a reflection on the cooker

the pinch of her grin
all teeth and cheekbones

scares the hell out of me    at first

I wrestle veg into a tin 
  cook for an hour

she taught me that    I think?

I’d love to ask her	but
she won’t stay long

in the kitchen
  I clatter plates together

I think it’s the fan    scares her away
it rumbles with steam

        she shivers

a wisp of fragrance     
  could be the roasties

either way, it evaporates
the steam    then Mum.

— (from 'Ripening', 2023)

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Visitations

I’d wake to guttural sounds—restless echoes (coming from me). I’d scratch at static noise—“Fade to black, please, fade to black”.

I was certain, “She was here, I saw her, we were in the kitchen—she was just here”, convincing no one because no one was there.

Just me in a liminal space.

Now, I handle them better, the visitations.

She doesn’t age. She’s reflected light—a shadow to trace in my mind's eye.

Dream Angus

‘Dream Angus’, a traditional Scottish folk song performed by / Thilo Pfander ©2023

The full song will be available on Substack tomorrow, 19th September 2023.

Ripening 🍓

This month, I’m releasing a series of short extracts and reflections from my first poetry pamphlet, ‘Ripening’, due in 2024. The pamphlet will be accompanied by original artwork and songs.

As an indie artist, I’m self-publishing my pamphlet. If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to support my work.

Thank you! Kat x