Biography

Louise Worthington is a Pushcart Prize nominee who crafts atmospheric prose and incisive poetry across literary fiction, psychological suspense/thrillers and horror. Her poetry and flash fiction are published in prestigious magazines including The Broken Spine, 34 Orchard, Reflex Fiction, HWA Poetry Showcases, Storgy, and Boston Literary Magazine. Life Lines is her most recent prose poetry collection, and Stained Glass Lives is a collection of flash fiction, prose poetry and short stories. She lives near Shrewsbury in Shropshire with her family and is an active member of Poetry Whitchurch.

The Pecking

In the yard's dust-bowl kingdom, hens Scratch their ancient rhythms. Until Blood springs – a single drop Like a red asterisk in white feathers. Then something older than bone Switches on behind her eye. Machinery Of beak and claw engages, pre-programmed, As if the first raptor never died. Her neck snakes forward, hooked weapon Drilling deep, each strike A victory for something mindless. While the victim's flesh gives way. After, she struts, black pupils Contracting to pins. Her kills Are millions of years old. The sun burns on, merciless as always. In the corner, I count my wounds, Knowing now how dinosaurs Never really left us. They just learned To wear feathers, to live in families.

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.

Blog entries by Louise Worthington

The Pecking (04/03/2025)

Blog link: https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/louiseworthington