The Leopard Poem by Dana Korneisel

Be I wolf or be I leopard
I am neither sheep nor shepherd
And I know fate don't pick favorites
From the darkness of the day

Circle ‘round me lynx and smile
I'll play jinxed and think you vile
While you mark me, try to scratch my
Soul, and take my skin away

Take your pose, ‘round back and shoulders
Tell me that you're wiser, older
Show me how you're stronger than me
Pretend I don't wonder "why? "

You have done all these things to me
Hidden silent, pushed straight through me
Just stop and look around inside me
And you'll see, no lynx am I

Then you'll leave me with that smile
And ignore me for a while
While your scent runs cold, replaced by
My sweet wolf, my onyx guard.

He'll curl ‘round me loving, faithful
Softly push away the pain, though
I've just asked him to stand silent
While you tried to reach my heart

My heart's not in open hands and
My soul's firm in who I am
My skin can't be raked from my back
By sleek daggers, feline claws

Who you see is just a blank mask
Stoic backbone, faceless canvas
With my wolf I dawn my mantle
Thick brown fur and padded paws

And the warmth draws up around me
Pulls me to him so all I see
Is a swirl of pure emotion
Clean jet black, dark russet brown.

Here I belong in his embrace
This sweet affection will erase
The ghost scars you left in my mind
Lynx, you'll never bring me down.