she skipped light through the forest
a basket of delights on her arm
birds eyed her, she tossed them crumbs
a shy doe followed, she left a biscuit upon a rock
a brazen raccoon came
ate date cake from her hand
she wandered eyes smiling, seeking friends
with whom to share her bounty
a coal-black wolf stepped into her path
he was glossy and beautiful
reaching into her picnic pulling out pork
still clinging to the bone aromatic
offered it readily
the animal looked at the sweet girl
the pulse of life in the hollow at the base of her throat
cherry tint in her round cheeks
golden curls that framed her doll-like face
and those eyes
open wide eyes, angelic and loving
then he looked to the ham offered without reservation
she could teach him something of grace
something of charity
he leapt landing open-mouthed on her chest
ripped the warm beating heart from between her ribs
and swallowed it whole
licked the smile clean off her face
today he was the teacher
turned his muzzle north and left
dead the bleeding babe in the woods
Inspired by the realism and the loss of fairy tales over at dVerse’s Pretzels and Bullfights. I have linked this up for OLN. Come play with words with us.
Dark Angel 
goodness…no happy end here…all too realistic…a good metaphor and esp. fitting for valentine’s day… so many people with deep wounds and their heart ate away by life’s wolves..
Hi Claudia. I’m all for a happy ending but that is the child in me perhaps. Today I tried to be a realist.
grisly….love this hints of red and her wolf and makes for a great metaphor as well…ugh…you either love of hate this day…
This “day”, I swear was a coincidence! Just got inspired by yesterday’s Pretzels.
Pulled no punches with this verse, Gritty and all to real, very nicely done!
Thanks Pat. I was trying to be real old the powder sugar.
Verrrry dark. Well written and DARK.
So Poemblaze you think it dark? LOL.
Whoa……………..so unfairytale…bleeding heart, I guess it eventually stops bleeding, but then your dead. Ouchy. Good poem.
Yep dead as a door nail. Which is a weird saying for they never lived?
ah, LOVE THIS! dead the bleeding babe.. horrific! happy endings are quite overrated 😉
Hi Anthony, no unvalentine of me eh?
Some lessons come harder than others and at a greater cost. Very well written illustration of this truth. Peace, Linda
Hey Linda! Put my fairy dust aside and wrote without the happy ending for change.
Knew that ending was coming as soon as the wolf appeared. Ouch. Brutal realism at its best. Thanks for sharing!
Oh shoot… I tried to dispel that with the grace and charity. You didn’t buy it though eh?
Nope. I’m hard to fool nowadays. Read too much fiction. =P
Yikes! As soon as he looked at her throat I feared she was a goner, though I still held out hope. I loved,” ripped the warm beating heart from between her ribs
and swallowed it whole; licked the smile clean off her face.” Brutal!
Yea I wanted you to know it crossed his mind…. but could he be purified? Nope.
I love it!
Yay, thanks.
had me glued from the beginning…..dark and harsh, lesson learned.
So glad Jebbi. Thanks for reading me.
We’re revving in the same faerie tale groove tonight, DA–loved it, every word, esp the doll-like characterization of the girl. Rather a rough way to learn a lesson, though I guess that would be called leading by example.
Hi Hedge! I can’t wait to read you later. One kid down, one to go then poetry 🙂
Holy crap! (I tells it like I sees it.) That was an awesome read. skipping along like this wonderful fairy tale, then BAM! Dead girl! You are one heck of a fine writer, Ms. Darkangel!
Oh thanks! I love the Holy Crap 😀
This is awe-inspiring! Reminds of those dark fairy tales.
I’ve never read a dark one Laurie, other than Hansel and Gretel, but I wondered what the stories were like before Disney.
And that, dearest Dark Angel, is why you don’t feed the friggin’ animals! LOL!
Right…. I saw the signs but they were so cute!
Wow! Love it! It’s like this is what should’ve been told to Red Riding Hood before she sauntered into the forest….heheh! Love how this flows, and how the story contradicts this….great read! 🙂
Thanks J. Thanks for coming by and commenting!
This- I love. Had me absolutely enthralled. Your use of words were so descriptive- I could literally see and taste the pork falling off the bone. The forest felt so dark- the girl, in a happy place, innocent- innocently feeding the wolf and paying for it dearly. So many metaphors here- abusive relationships? How the innocent get used and abused- eaten up? This is a dark, dark fairytale- and my favourite write this week by far
Your favorite really? Wow, made my day. 🙂
A dark tale and too real, scary yet you can’t pull away.
I’m glad it had that effect on you Oceangirl!
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn……….
Lessons learned indeed…
Wow – couldn’t pull away, had to read to the end…..
innocence – naivete …. not everyone is your friend….
Hi Bajan! Yep more often than not a wolf is really a wolf no matter much I wish them to be puppies.
For real. Lesson learned. Wolves are dangerous.
I suppose it’s something that the wolf even paused to consider his options rather than giving in immediately to his natural instincts. That’s progress, isn’t it? 🙂
Right Shawna! There in lies the silver lining I suppose 🙂
Strong and good write!
Thanks Ayala!
Ah – a good poem, a very interesting take on this particular day …- well-crafted and intriguing. I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I like the line you have under your blog heading “within me lives the saint and sinner, and each regrets the other” – is this a quote or your own? I’m afraid I relate to it all too well …
Yes it’s mine. I’m both angelic and wicked… all depends on the angle of the moonlight.
Right in the middle of a horrific ending – yeah very much the same as life!
I’m sorry Neha…. Then the white night swooped in gave her the heart of a white tiger and nursed her back to life!
That’s pretty nasty but I like realism. Fairy tales suck. We have a duty as poets, in my opinion, to tell it like it is. Obviously, in ways that are aesthetically appealing, or powerful through use of poetic devices. If I have to read another fuzzy warm chocolate and flowers thing I… er sorry I’m starting to rant
Awwww, I wouldn’t dream of dousing you with sacharin Luke… cream perhaps.
hahahaha!!! oh, go on then
Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf?
Not little red, I guess.
Perhaps by eating her flesh, he will be filled with her kinder, gentler soul? Or is he just her dark side, acting out?
Like all the other little animals of the forest, I am charmed by your kindness. And your brutality.
Charmed by my brutality Charles? I think you are the first to ever say that to me. I feel like I just earned a merit badge 🙂
wow, vivid and tragic. would make for a great opposite ending to the little red riding hood story.
I’m glad you think so Sheila.