'Milicent At The Protest'

Winner of the UNSW Arts Collection Writing Prize 2023

Maid Millicent is militant.

She’s stomping on the snakes.

The pigs are stomping on her feet at the protest

And the men aren’t shouting loud enough.

She tells them to punch a protestor.

She hides her face from snakes.

She’s Maid Mary.

She’s Maid Millicent.

She submits to the young faux-flowery men

And really loves their snakes,

But hates it when they leave.

They have no because.

What’s your because?

I’ve never had one.

I’m lost.

I’m militant.

I’m a visiting politician

Hanging flowers around my neck.

I’m innocent,

I’m a politician visiting Jutland,

Visiting both Danish and German areas

Without prejudice,

Without biases.

What’s the militaries purpose?

Maid Millicent was so excited for the protest today,

But she woke up hungover,

And it’s raining outside,

So the militarism is pointless.

What’s the protest’s purpose

When the protestors rate each other

On the number of posts they’ve posted

Captioned; “I hate Capitalism and love to protest!”

A bruise to the head of a snake is fatal

And Mary’s wearing heels.

By conquering as many snakes as possible

Millicent finds her purpose,

Bruising and kissing the heads of the politicians

She meets after the protest,

Going Crone like her mother did,

Her Mary,

And smiling,

And promising to visit Jutland

In the summer to study.

I’m like a politician

Because I’m boring,

And because I’m scared of being hurt.

I’m like Mary.

She’s Crone Millicent,

She hates the depths of our traditions

But still falls head first into them.

She is nothing if she is not hurt.

After the protest, Millicent is a Catholic woman,

Stomping down on red snakes.

After confession, I’m a politician,

Stomping on my own snake.