Wild Songs

Wild Songs

(From “Monoliths”)

Skipwith Cannell

I am not alone, for there are eyesStealthy and curious,And they turn to me.I will shout loudly to the forest,I will shout and with a sobGriping my throat I will cowerQuicklyBeneath my cloak.For the old gods stand silentlyBehind the silent trees,And when I shout they step forthAnd I dare notLook upon their faces.

I am not alone, for there are eyesStealthy and curious,And they turn to me.I will shout loudly to the forest,I will shout and with a sobGriping my throat I will cowerQuicklyBeneath my cloak.For the old gods stand silentlyBehind the silent trees,And when I shout they step forthAnd I dare notLook upon their faces.

I am not alone, for there are eyesStealthy and curious,And they turn to me.I will shout loudly to the forest,I will shout and with a sobGriping my throat I will cowerQuicklyBeneath my cloak.

I am not alone, for there are eyes

Stealthy and curious,

And they turn to me.

I will shout loudly to the forest,

I will shout and with a sob

Griping my throat I will cower

Quickly

Beneath my cloak.

For the old gods stand silentlyBehind the silent trees,And when I shout they step forthAnd I dare notLook upon their faces.

For the old gods stand silently

Behind the silent trees,

And when I shout they step forth

And I dare not

Look upon their faces.

The red in meLives too near my throat.My heart is choked with blood,And a rage drives it upwardAs the moon drags the flood tideRagingAcross the marshes.I will danceSomberly,In a ritualTerrible and soothing;I will dance that I may notTear out his throatIn murder.

The red in meLives too near my throat.My heart is choked with blood,And a rage drives it upwardAs the moon drags the flood tideRagingAcross the marshes.I will danceSomberly,In a ritualTerrible and soothing;I will dance that I may notTear out his throatIn murder.

The red in meLives too near my throat.My heart is choked with blood,And a rage drives it upwardAs the moon drags the flood tideRagingAcross the marshes.

The red in me

Lives too near my throat.

My heart is choked with blood,

And a rage drives it upward

As the moon drags the flood tide

Raging

Across the marshes.

I will danceSomberly,In a ritualTerrible and soothing;I will dance that I may notTear out his throatIn murder.

I will dance

Somberly,

In a ritual

Terrible and soothing;

I will dance that I may not

Tear out his throat

In murder.

With wide flung arms,With feet clinging to the earthI will dance.My breath sobs in my bellyFor an old sorrow that has put out the sun,An old, furious sorrow ...I will grin,I will bare my gums and grinLike a grey wolf who has come upon a bear.

With wide flung arms,With feet clinging to the earthI will dance.My breath sobs in my bellyFor an old sorrow that has put out the sun,An old, furious sorrow ...I will grin,I will bare my gums and grinLike a grey wolf who has come upon a bear.

With wide flung arms,With feet clinging to the earthI will dance.My breath sobs in my bellyFor an old sorrow that has put out the sun,An old, furious sorrow ...

With wide flung arms,

With feet clinging to the earth

I will dance.

My breath sobs in my belly

For an old sorrow that has put out the sun,

An old, furious sorrow ...

I will grin,I will bare my gums and grinLike a grey wolf who has come upon a bear.

I will grin,

I will bare my gums and grin

Like a grey wolf who has come upon a bear.


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