The Howl

 does it Frighten you having The Howl in your bed

or is it quite sexy she laughingly said

 

for a long time The Howl was something I feared

but now yes quite sexy and wonderfully weird

 

too many men say The Howl is a Surprise

which always annoys me don’t they have Mums and Wives

 

perhaps it is something they choose to ignore

perhaps they’ve not read enough myth and folklore

 

but you know The Howl and you aren’t afraid

does knowing The Howl like you do get you laid

 

maybe that’s true but also too crude

i once saw my mum’s Howl outside in the nude

 

did it scare you to see The Howl so wild and free

 

to be honest my dad was more worried i’d see

her and cry

which is what my dad did

because after that night The Howl was something

she hid

 

yes she said quietly

that happens too much

concealing The Howl for fear it might touch

us in Strange and in Magical ways we don’t know

we swiftly repress it

never let it show

but tell me the story of seeing your Mum’s Howl

 

Her Eyes had Changed Colour and Her Voice was a Growl

 

alright he said carefully

 i’ll tell you my tale

of The Howl on our lawn on the night of the gales

 

the night of the gales when he was a lad

the night he stayed up because dad was so sad

just why dad was sad he couldn’t quite say

but that was the night The Howl came to play

he heard it three times outside the front door

but dad said he should just try and ignore

the scratchings and snufflings

the yips and the growls

instead he Opened the Curtains and

He Saw The Howl

 

it looked just like Mum

but also not really

A Wolf Mum with Wild Eyes

but mum loved him dearly

so what was she doing out there in the dark

with Neck Arched and Howling and Teeth like a Shark

there’s been a mistake and it isn’t his mum

because something about Her said She was having such Fun

and he couldn’t remember the last time He Saw

his Mum so Fantastical

so Hard to Ignore

 

just while he was pondering Mum on the lawn

dad closed the curtains and gave a fake yawn

he knew it was fake because dad’s eyes were wary

in fact dad was crying

which was even more scary

than a Wolf Mum luxuriating under the Moon

with a Glittering Howl that rattled the room

so he patted his dad on the arm and he said

we’re both really tired shall we head off to bed

 

the next morning mum was quite normal it seemed

she made him his toast as she washed up and cleaned

wrapped up in her apron so tidy and neat

it seemed quite impossible that last night in bare feet

she’d been a Wolf Mum that called on The Howl

was Wild and Impulsive

Dangerous

Foul

perhaps it was really a mad full moon dream

and nothing is ever quite as it seems

 

The Howl on the lawn never happened again

mum stayed so quiet

invisible

then

one dark winter’s evening when the Moon wasn’t full

he came home quite late from chess club at his school

and turning the corner of his quiet normal street

the hairs on the back of his neck gave a tweak

and he knew without turning The Howl had returned

that a Wolf was behind him with a

Gaze

that could

Burn

 

he gasped and he ran as fast as he could

and didn’t look back

which really he should’ve

because standing behind him on that quiet normal street

was a small timid girl with a face oh so meek

who couldn’t quite grasp why the boy ran away

which happened a lot

for no reason she could say

except that her Mother and Sister would

Smile

 

One Day you’ll know why but not for a while

 

that is my story and now you have heard

how i saw The Howl and i give you my word

that i don’t think it’s foul

 corrupt

 evil

 or bad

 

but he could see that his words had made her so sad

 

I know you believe that and I wish that I could

help you to see The Howl

as Glorious

Good

how it Heals and Empowers

and Helps Us Stay Strong

when the world all around Us says

We don’t belong

but you can’t understand

and it’s not out of spite

you think you are safer embracing

The Fright.