—erased description of Anna Marano, 1934, from Spontaneous Human Combustion, by Jenny Randles and Peter Hough, 1992
She was known to suffer—
the effect began to emerge from the breast area—
They were ready to film
the radiant power of her blood
dribbled away, the discarded scrapbook of science
Her brief spells as a human glow worm
a deep sleep emerging blue
asthmatic and electrical fields, the alleged wounds
a tiny jolt of surprise—
the act of kissing
involves moisture from the saliva
of the mouth, an excellent contact—
Anna had built up an excess,
the force was very real
His fingers were ‘sunburnt’
the body of the unfortunate witness
a floating mass quite literally smoking
Smoke pouring from his trousers
narrowly averted causing her hair
to burst into flames—
People living alone
are not able to ‘earth’
ANNAH BROWNING is the author of the poetry collection Witch Doctrine (University of Akron Press, 2020) and the chapbook The Marriage (Horse Less Press, 2013). Her work has appeared in Denver Quarterly, Black Warrior Review, Willow Springs, and elsewhere. She is co-editor of Grimoire Magazine and a Professor of English at Blackburn College.
