Wolf Women

Wolf Woman by artist Carole Bourdo - Ma-Ew-Yakee-

as found at the website www.manataka.org

Ella's prompt at Poets United's Wonder Wednesday is : the Wolf, and how he or she "leads us to the whispers of the wild." Definitely a prompt right up my alley!

Wild Woman carries

the heart of a wolf in her chest.

Its rhythm pulses in time with

her wild sister, who runs,

wraith-like,

through the forest,

stopping under a midnight moon

only long enough

to tip back her head

and howl.

Her true being

only comes alive

within sight and smell

of the sea:

the hackles rise

along her spine,

as she raises her nose

to scent the wind,

determining her direction

by the keening call of the wild.

Wild Woman

belongs to each of us,

and to us all.

She lives in the space

between heartbeats,

and in the thoughts

between words.

Listen for her knowing voice

at your right ear,

whispering: 

"Come, this is the way."

Then follow,
with perfect trust,

for no one knows

better or truer

than the Wild Woman 

Watcher Within.

Wild Woman

moves through

worlds seen and unseen,

emerging at daybreak

to slake her thirst

at the River of Solitude.

At the close of day,

the forest rolls out

a soft carpet

to form her bed.

In between,

you may follow her

when she is Wilding,

but not too close.

Be respectful of her space

and her growl.

And when she shape-shifts

out of sight,

look down quickly -

you may just see

the pawprint

she has left behind.

Wild Woman is the one

that we run from

when we are young

and run home to

when we are old.

She is an ancient singing

through our bones, 

a wise smile,

the Knowing eyes of a

Watcher in the Woods.

If you are quick enough,

you might just spy

the furry tip of her tail

peeking out from

under her billowing robe,

and trailing behind

like moondust.

Follow her,

Embrace her,

for without Wild Woman,

our spirits shrivel up

and begin to die.

With her,

our vision

expands,

and

we learn,

finally
and unfathomably,

to fly.