I usually solve problems by letting them devour me.
There are useful things inside wolves and shadows,
sharp things
with moonlight in the blades
to show the way back out
from the darker places in the bellies of beasts
that perhaps may not be beasts
once they’ve be carved into smaller, scurrier things
that run rather from, rather than swallow
all the things that shine.
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Carol J Forrester 
I would love to have those small scurrier things, but alas I’m stuck with my beasts
You write about them so well
Very dark – a twisted fairy tale. There are shadows cast by Red Riding Hood, and maybe others here. It’s not a poem for most children, but I think I would have liked it as a child.
I’ve often heard that the trick to writing children’s fiction is to treat them like humans and not dumb it down. I sort of ran with that. I think you and I might have had similar reading tastes as children.
I like the thought of bellies of the beast that may not be a beast.
Thanks Frank. I had a lot of fun writing this.
This is dark and scary.
Wonderful. That was exactly what I was going for 😁
You’ve gone dark with this one, Carol, verging on the realm of the Brothers Grimm. These lines have teeth:
‘…moonlight in the blades
to show the way back out
from the darker places in the bellies of beasts’.
I was thinking more along the lines of Angela Carter if I’m honest. I do love dark fairy tales.
Yes, I can see that.
Yep! Very Kafka-esque. Well done!
Thank you.
I think this is just right as a visualization for kids when they are afraid. Excellent, Carol.
Thank you
So dark and delicious; Kafka and Poe gave thumbs up. I liked the between the lines message, about pre-judgement, intolerance, and prejudice.
Thank you Glenn, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it
Ooh, I loved this quote and I’m glad you chose it. The ending showed a tender side to the beasts who run away, choosing their higher intelligence over their carnal instinct. Something not easy for any of us to do. I also love the visual by being led by the reflected moonlight.
Thank you
Gorgeous images, Carol.
Thank you. Got a few other ideas bubbling away for fairy tale based poems.
This reminds me of walking through a corn maze.. With shadows and then a way out..