The Beast Of Man Poem by alan brown

A creature wandered through the wood,
undaunted by the soundless clip of its horse like hooves.
Deliberately it raised its head and smelt the morning air,
tasting droplets of dew lingering in the morning mist.
It's eyes were dark but sparkled like glistening coals
fresh from the mines of hell.
Its wet black snout twitched
as droplets of spit trickled from its snarling mouth.
Its claw like hands snatched wisps of air,
licking them with its forked tongue from its hairy palms,
tasting for man.
Its head rose in anticipation as its pointed ears heard faint sounds,
its head turned to the hill, the hunt was on.

Bounding forward as a beast upon a kill the creature went on
snaking through the wooded ground and up towards the top of the hill.
His eyes now fixed upon his pray,
he must not be seen,
he must hide away.
His mouth was running with foaming spit as he could taste his pray,
long before he bit
and keeping stealth upon his side he eased his way up the hillside.
Again he stopped and smelt the air as mans distinctive scent was there,
drooling now with thought of taste he hurried on
but not in hast.
He slowly crept towards the scent
with mouth agape and head well bent.
His teeth were gleaming sharp and white
with points of steel for him to bite
But when in his sight a man appeared
to his surprise he had two spears,
and as they came flying through the air,
he watched them come with ought a thought
and to his surprise it was him they caught.
They struck him hard and they struck him deep
with spurting blood he went off his feet.
The beast of man stood proud and high,
looking down on the creature with gleam in his eyes.
He raised his head and smelt the air
but smelt no smells that spelt beware
and turning now towards the wind
he bounded off and home again.