wolves

you wouldn’t know it

at first glance

but the wolf that’s

before you is

closer to death

than you suppose

he grows

more fierce

in proportion

to desperation—

for all the terror

mark the state

of emaciation

near the end

he will kill

more readily

listen how the howling

and snarling become

more intense

while we

in our pretense

marked the territory

protected ground

that was never ours

see how he

finds someone

like me

or you alone

unprotected

vulnerable

weak and afraid

stumbling

among silent trees

willing to kill

or be killed

helpless in

desperation

and terror

……………………….

wolves

by troy cady

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