I crouched, hands & knees
beneath thornapple, mosquito
seeding its eggs in my arm.
And waited. What I caught
I killed or brought
struggling home.
When I found my enemy
I cut him to pieces & went
singing & bloody by the rowans.
But you, love. Now shadows
cast trees & I’m contrary,
rain my fine weather.
By night I’m prowling
your moonlit flesh. You’re all
legs, arms, owl cry
& leaping, love, the cry
in my throat some animal,
its life in its cry.
And I swim with the fish.
I fly with the raven. I go
with the shuddering creatures
into their darkness.