Wolf mother
hears the whirring blades
of the helicopter
coming over the rise.
She moves quickly
to herd her small cubs
into their den,
then makes a desperate dash
for survival
across the field.
There is fear, for the smell is Man,
and Man brings danger and death.
There is desperation;
her cubs need her alive
in order to survive.
The shots ring out.
We will not know
whether she fell or not.
It is pain enough to bear
that men are shooting wolves
from helicopters.
Wild Woman's fear
is the death of Mother Wolf,
her cubs,
the ecosystem,
and the planet itself,
a hastening strangulation
by corporate greed,
Mother Earth trying so hard to live
as the Black Snake coils itself
around her neck.
May humankind awaken
in the midst of this bad dream,
and march to demand a safer world
for our wolf and human babies.
for Susan's prompt at Midweek Motif: Fear
I had a plethora of choices: apocalyptic futures, Armageddon, climate disaster, global war, mass starvation.........my heart is never very far from the wolves, so I chose Mother Wolf's plight, which is also ours, this time.
Each time I read your work I am reminded of wise old Chief Seattle's speech on the environment. I will never understand why men kill for sport. It's anathema to me.
ReplyDelete"Mother Earth trying so hard to live
ReplyDeleteas the Black Snake coils itself
around her neck." She has much to fear as does mother wolf and as do we if we keep destroying what God gives us. Very Timely poem. I pray for all the babies with adults and alone.
Well told analogy. What a world, this has become. Is there any hope? ...maybe
ReplyDeleteIsn't ironic, they're trying to re-introduce the wolf, into Yellowstone Nation Park, while the BC government hunts wolves, from helicopters, in the mistaken belief, they're helping the caribou herds that are declining, because of our greed for oil.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of person shoots an animal..and from a helicopter! One really has to be afraid of such blatant greed that has lost all humanity.
ReplyDeleteMother Earth is so graceful and kind, she's still giving us time to rectify for our own good. Otherwise it will only take her seconds to bring devastation on everyone of us. She knows how to heal. As I read this I feel so ashamed to belong to this human race. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's akin to planting a tree, knowing we won't see it fully grown. That's how far we need to dig in, and find that hope... ~
ReplyDeleteThe sadness is that the human race seems to be getting worse not better. How can we be so cruel to beautiful wild animals? Seeking profit will not not profit humankind in the end but may even result in an unbalance and unstable world that may not be sustainable. Keep shouting from the mountaintop Sherry.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible thing, Sherry....to shoot wolves from helicopters. Such cruelty. That black snake is becoming stronger and stronger. I hope there is a way for Mother Earth and for all of creation to escape its evil grasp.
ReplyDeleteOh this is absolutely heart-wrenching, Sherry. I wonder how people have the heart to shoot wolves and that too from a helicopter! *shudders*
ReplyDeleteSometimes a safer world seems so out of our grasp that we wonder why we should even keep working toward it. But there are the babies to consider...all of them...
ReplyDeleteWe and the wolves need voices like yours to keep on speaking up.
ReplyDeleteI love how you advocate for our helpless animals. The universe smiles upon you Sherry.
ReplyDeleteFear is everywhere...it is a challenge ...a test to overcome...fear keeps discipline...a great poem of fear on Earth
ReplyDeleteThe Wolf Mother as a personification of Mother Nature is a timely reminder of what we are doign to our beautiful planet, Sherry. Well-penned!
ReplyDelete