When I was a sophomore in high school, our school district held a poetry writing workshop. I submitted a sample poem and was one of the people chosen to attend, woo-hoo! We spent a couple of days learning poetry writing techniques with some published authors. My "final project" for the workshop was the poem that follows. Years later, in the summer of 2007, when our writing group did poetry for Round 14, I submitted this poem as one of three. Why? Because I find wolves to be fascinating, and tried to imagine what it would be like to come across one in the wild.

I Met A Wolf
by Rusty Keele

I walked in the forest
Wanting to be alone
But I met a wolf
Who crossed my path.

He looked at me,
His eyes caught fire,
His hair stood on end,
He flashed his razor teeth
And pushed forth his claws.

Slowly he came towards me,
Inching closer in perfect grace,
Moving without sound.
I felt fear
Knowing this could be the end.

Would I make a hardy meal? Not today.
For he just stood there – glaring at me
But I could feel his authority
As he seemed to speak:

“GO BACK!
You who kill innocent blood,
You who take what you want,
And ravish our lands.
Go back to civilization... YOU SAVAGE!”

He turned and trotted away
Leaving the task to me
To let others know
That animals, too, own the earth.

This poem copyright © 1988 by Rusty Keele.  All rights reserved.