Snowdrops bow 
              their opal heads
at the quickening footfalls
              of Persephone from below 

and the warmth of Demeter’s
              pallid cheek thaws
the frost-covered Earth 
               as she turns at the familiar sound. 
Shelly Jones, PhD (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor of English at SUNY Delhi, where she teaches classes in mythology, folklore, and writing. Her speculative work has previously appeared in Podcastle, New Myths, The Future Fire, and elsewhere. Find her on Twitter @shellyjansen.
header image: Bobby Hendry via Unsplash