The sternness of sunshine scattered my dark-songs
otherwise lost,
shed light on contours and ribs
protruding fiercely from worn-thin shirt,
I suppose it’s only fair
since day kisses worries away–
though I can hardly ignore the itch between
my shoulder blades.
It begins with a whine; high-pitched and wanting,
a tortured sigh
as the jaw stretches and hair thickens,
fire erupts and prettier sights aid in blocking
out the pain,
you see, we are werewolves
of the beautiful
and dark kind, bound by ethereal light
of the full moon and to regions of central
and southern districts confined.
If you should ever see me coming, turn
and walk away,
being a predator by nature,
the shade
I will give you, is one that you will dread.
I am a werewolf,
the likes of which cannot be described
only felt,
dark circles do not affect me,
nor stand out starkly against porcelain cheeks.
I am sensitive to scent, particularly that
of rose and sandalwood,
it reminds me of a holier time,
when there weren’t bones between my teeth,
ah, what fools these mortals be!
They value not what they possess in the world
nor care much about afterlife.
“Wait! Is that a thrush corpse, I see shriveling?”
Photo credits: Pinterest
Melissa hosts on dVerse where she invites us to write a Cento or be inspired by another Poet’s work,
I chose to write to Bjorn’s poem “Creature of the night.” Come join us! 🩷
Posted for Poetics: April Poems Bring May Centos @dVerse Poets Pub
30 Responses
Oh, it sounds even more dangerous with a wonderful and beautiful werewolf than the beastly kind. Thank you for the great reuse of my line…
My pleasure, Bjorn! The line from your poem just hit me and the poem flowed! I am so pleased you enjoyed it 💄❤️
I love how you take us into the mind of a werewolf, not totally human or animal. I love both the beginning and the ending. The striking use of imagery in “sternness of sunshine scattered my dark-songs”; and the last sentence where the animal instinct comes through.
Thank you so much, Melissa 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
(And thank you for the glorious prompt) 🥂
I went back and read Björn’s poem again and saw the sternness of sunshine was his line. I didn’t pick it out. Wonderful poetry.
❤️❤️❤️
I love the title, Sanaa, and these lines hooked me immediately:
‘The sternness of sunshine scattered my dark-songs
otherwise lost,
shed light on contours and ribs
protruding fiercely from worn-thin shirt’
and
‘…I can hardly ignore the itch between
my shoulder blades’
and they made me feel for the werewolf.
You made great use of sound in:
‘It begins with a whine; high-pitched and wanting,
a tortured sigh’
and smell in:
‘I am sensitive to scent, particularly that
of rose and sandalwood,
it reminds me of a holier time,
when there weren’t bones between my teeth’.
Awww gosh! Thank you so much, my dearest Kim 😍 so glad you liked it! 💄❤️
Such a terrifying creature of the night–awe-inspiring and glorious, but I hope never to encounter it.
Thank you so much, Merril 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Very haunting!
❤️❤️❤️
You have conjured a great werewolf poem. I love the way you describe the transformation a very imaginative write.
Thank you so much, Di 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
Bravo. Well done
Much♡love
Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️
Much love back!
Haunting and deliciously good, Sanaa. Imagining them on a hill, howling under the full moon, looking over the city below.
Thank you so much, Lisa 😍 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️
the opener really took this down a dark passage of sensational lines with a spark of light:
” of a holier time,
when there weren’t bones between my teeth”
Thank you so much, my dearest Laura 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
From the very beginning your imagery is sharp and luring. I especially love “dark circles do not affect me,
nor stand out starkly against porcelain cheeks.” and the distraction in the ending. Bravo!
Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Mish 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
Sanaa, you took ‘Creature of the Night’ .. stood it on its head, turned it inside out!! Well done, well done!!!
Thank you so much, Helen 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you💄❤️
“I am sensitive to scent, particularly that
of rose and sandalwood,
it reminds me of a holier time,
when there weren’t bones between my teeth” my goodness, I love that
Thank you so much, Debi 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
I too am arrested, particularly by those last lines:
‘sensitive to scent, particularly that
of rose and sandalwood,
it reminds me of a holier time,
when there weren’t bones between my teeth’.
because, having become deeply attached to a rather tempting wolfman this spring (currently unrequitedly) I have just been given (by an understanding soul-sister) an unguent deliciously fragranced with … rose, sandalwood and patchouli. Time to remove the bones from my crunching teeth, and anoint myself with perfumes that entice …
Thank you so much, Kathy 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Your poem lives up to the lovely title! Beautifully crafted, Sanaa!💞💞
Thank you so much, Punam 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️