I trudge down long dirt roads with my dog nearly every day
we often wander far and wide until twinkling stars appear
Last night something lurking out there bade us come and play
Shadow tried to turn tail but I clipped the leash and pulled her near

Onward we strode, crossing overgrown trails
Shadow dragging behind while I silenced her wails
Stabbed by thick underbrush, I strangely felt no fear
driven by fierce desire, carving into that wild frontier

Faint moonlight crept through branches
but shifting shadows made it hard to see
A sudden rustling in shrub patches
again sent my brave bitch trying to flee

Then bright red eyes burst through the dark
appearing, encircling, and congregating
Gleefully returning Shadow’s frantic bark
their numbers rapidly accumulating

As my breath was ripped away
recalled old nighttime terrors
Forced to kneel and pray
beaten for unruly errors

But Mama, it wasn’t my mistake last night
making me the bloodthirsty beast of now
All those admonishments borne from spite
compelled me to paths you did not allow

Shadow at first fought our transformation
finally submitting without further fuss
to forest freaks facilitating our aberration
with sharp-toothed slices and claw cuts

Tonight we are reborn, and lumbering towards your house
hopefully the horrid howling drowns out your fearful shouts
It will be good to kneel and pray together as a family once again
and we’ll remake your humble home into a lycanthrope’s den