[Untitled]

For a contest

 

Winter night air cold against skin so frail and light

Nipping harshly at everything in its dark path

No one in their right minds would be out here tonight

Yet here I stand, in front of her unyielding wrath

 

Splinters of hoarfrost on the dark ground around me

Beyond them, I see a set of piercing red eyes

I pause in my tracks, debating whether to flee

I shiver, for I cannot see their owner’s size

 

Sniffing at me now, it slowly becomes exposed,

I wonder distantly if it can smell my fear

It might find me appealing, though I would oppose

All that can be done is to be ready, watch, hear

 

Whiffing its scent as it approaches more and more

I can almost taste its breath on my trembling lips

It’s a tart I never knew existed before

Fear runs through me; still the cold continues to nip

 

I hear only my heart pounding blood through my veins

And the distant snarling of the undisclosed beast

I nearly hear its stomach growl; my hunger feigns

I muse at the notion that I might be the feast

 

I fear so strongly that I almost do not spot

The faint twinge of familiarity inside

My third eye begins to see that which I do not

And I see the puppy that has chosen to hide

 

Nipping winter air no longer seems so frigid

As I approach the tiny brown body of fur

The animal’s body quickly goes quite rigid

Its red eyes of malice make something in me stir

 

A distant thought occurs to me; I realize

That small brown puppies aren’t supposed to have red eyes…

Author's Note

I'm already aware that this sucks. The rules for the contest were extremely specific as a challenge, so this is more of an exercise than an attempt to write a dazzling piece of work. I had fun though. It made me think.

Reviews

[Wildecat]

This doesn't suck, I totally enjoyed reading this poem, liked the way it ended, just needs a title.

[HoorayForUnderdog]

I would not say that this sucks...I think it is very anti-sucky actually! It kind of gives me the creeps! You should go ahead and think of a title for this one because it is a keeper.

[Noel]

I loved this! I liked your choice of words and how it was left as a mystery at the end. Good write! ;D