title: Redhead and the Slaughter King: A Collection of Poetry
author:  Megan Falley 
description: "The [Metaphorical] Daughter of Sexton and Ginsberg" <br /><br />- Muzzle Magazine's 30 Poets Under 30
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  ![cover](resources/_cover_.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  # Shapes in the Fire
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### By M. P. Shiel
  
  
  This page formatted 2004 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  Xélucha
  
  
  Maria in the Rose-Bush
  
  
  Vaila
  
  
  Premier and Maker
  
  
  Tulsah
  
  
  The Serpent-Ship
  
  
  Phorfor
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  * * *
  
  To Mistress Beatrice Laws
  
  
  Dear Beatrice,—The pieces of this inkling of a Book, which, with
  
  
  much longing, I dedicate to you, were not all written in the same
  
  
  night, but separated in their execution by intervals for eating and
  
  
  sleeping; and as you know me to be of at least not less nervous vigour
  
  
  than your sweet self (for in Thee is not vigour gobbled up in
  
  
  sweetness?), so you, too, red ruddes, should read them (in spite of the
  
  
  sub-title), with like intervals, one by one, not gulp them like
  
  
  porridge or a novel,—which, you know, are homogeneous, these being
  
  
  designedly heterogene­ous—or you will hardly, I think, get at what one
  
  
  meant to imply (Easily, you know, in the crash of the orchestra