In some off brand
Coalyard
Eastern shithole,
A woman left her child and went off to raise a bottle,
And so a child was left to the mercy of wolves.
Her years in the pack
Taught her to
Scavenge
Snarl,
And fight.
Upon discovery,
She was clearly seen to be a girl
Despite the lunging
Despite the snapping.
Over time, she was taught to use a tea cup,
Eat off a plate
Sleep in a bed
And stop fighting;
And yet,
Though she is clearly a girl,
Wolfness is deep in her bones;
And in the middle of lunch,
If she feels tired
Or stressed
She may start to growl low
Ears back, teeth bared,
Stopping the conversation
Cold.
I love this girl
And take her parking when the moon is full
Just to provoke her into howling.
I love this almost-blended wild spirit
Who, though she is clearly a girl,
Is a wild girl
Feral girl.
Wolf.
Girl.
_____________________
Coalyard
Eastern shithole,
A woman left her child and went off to raise a bottle,
And so a child was left to the mercy of wolves.
Her years in the pack
Taught her to
Scavenge
Snarl,
And fight.
Upon discovery,
She was clearly seen to be a girl
Despite the lunging
Despite the snapping.
Over time, she was taught to use a tea cup,
Eat off a plate
Sleep in a bed
And stop fighting;
And yet,
Though she is clearly a girl,
Wolfness is deep in her bones;
And in the middle of lunch,
If she feels tired
Or stressed
She may start to growl low
Ears back, teeth bared,
Stopping the conversation
Cold.
I love this girl
And take her parking when the moon is full
Just to provoke her into howling.
I love this almost-blended wild spirit
Who, though she is clearly a girl,
Is a wild girl
Feral girl.
Wolf.
Girl.
_____________________
I love this poem. Reminds me of one of my favorite French films by Francois Truffaut, L'enfant Savauge, about a wild child found in the woods, and who was then "educated" by a physician. Didn't work very well. Notice you're a fan of Gerald Manley Hopkins. One of my favorites is "Spring and Fall."
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah. I pulled out that poem you mentioned and read it. Wonderful stuff. I've always particularly liked "God's Grandeur."
ReplyDeleteFerals have always interested me. When I was little, I snooped around my father's bookshelves and managed to find two or three paperbacks about strange happenings, ghosts, rains of frogs, feral humans, etc. I've always loved that stuff.
Anyway, the backstory about the girl in the poem is true. Except she lived with dogs, not wolves.
Thanks for reading and for commenting!
stanza 5 is my favourite, it brought a new insight, spot on. Kx
ReplyDeleteSo well written. Who could fail to love (if not also perhaps slightly fear)such an honest soul?
ReplyDeleteBravo Shay.
Thanks K. Yo tigah playthang will do anything for a hoofsnax. ;-)
ReplyDeleteShrinky, you always "get it", don't you? Sure you won't turn gay for me? Please? LOL.
Great line: "A woman left her child and went off to raise a bottle"
ReplyDelete"I love this girl
And take her parking when the moon is full
Just to provoke her into howling."
I like the period-induced pauses at the end emphasizing that she is all girl and yet all animal.