Story-Telling Loups Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Red Riding Hood watching the rain doing a drizzling
ballet to thunder-rolling outside and pulling her grey
Rain Queen kaross o'er freezing knees - warm in a
red top as a character in a ‘conte de fée' while a shy
Queen's dancing more rain with shining bangles

The Queen delights in songs proclaiming her fame
in a dry land of golden sunsets with purple clouds
where people pray for rain to survive and right now
Petit Chaperon Rouge's listening to stories told by
colleagues, scattering thoughts once confined to

A text on exporting crocodiles which should have
filled my universe - these office-wolves destroying
what little willpower I had for working on important
words; the incessant flow is banishing th' requisite
ennui that helps a mind to concentrate: it's good

These story-telling Loups devour the conscientious
mood of Petit Chaperon Rouge - leading her astray
to flower-picking in a dell where fairies dwell…

[kaross: a blanket made of animal skins]