marsh fever
is an old name
for malaria
when the fens held islands
of wolves over chalk
and the insects felled a man in a week
the coming and going will kill you best
stay put and be bit
for go two weeks
without puncture and find yourself dead
next moon brother
a constant exposure is better than none
we’re wolf meat in winter
dug up from wet ground
then wolf meet in summer
bitten and drawn
how marsh fever brother
is wolf fever
a blood tie between
man and beast and mini-beast
tell me not to howl
as my flesh burns over chalk
the pale white paths at night
like moon
like calling
brother home
brother home
Rebecca Ferrier’s book “The Salt Bind” (John Murray Press) will be published in January 2026
[Further reading: David Szalay’s Flesh wins the Booker Prize]
Content from our partners
Related
This article appears in the 13 Nov 2025 issue of the New Statesman, What Keir won't hear