This selection is included in NonBinary Review #6, available here.

The Vizier, jealous, whispered in the King’s ear
Engendering in him a sense of fear
Of the great sage known as Duban
Who always had been the King’s man
And no matter how hard the sage did try
To allay his fear, the King decided he would die
And no matter what he did or said
The King was resolved to remove Duban’s head
So he became resigned to his fate
And plotted revenge before it was too late
He went to the King and said, “Take a look”
And proceeded to show him his magic book
“Now when it comes to pass I am dead
You shall recite a spell over my severed head
And my head, though dead, shall speak
Those answers that you may ever seek”
And while this offer pleased, did not placate
The King to spare Duban from his fate
But that was no longer the end he sought
Now revenge was his only thought
And when into the yard he was led
He knew the King, too, soon would be dead
Afterward to the book the King repaired
And fell into the trap Duban had prepared
To turn each page the King his finger would lick
And slowly began to feel quite sick
Until with an expression of surprise
The King collapses, chokes and dies

DJ Tyrer is the person behind Atlantean Publishing, has been published in anthologies and magazines including Dialect Poetry (Palores Publishing), Memento Mori, and both volumes of Bones (JWK Fiction), issues of Cyaegha, Carillon, The Pen, Scifaikuest, Tigershark and Anthology 29, and online on Poetry Bulawayo, Poetry Pacific, Siren's Call and The Muse, as well as releasing several chapbooks, including the critically acclaimed Our Story.