The Werewolf (Sestina) Poem by Gert Strydom

One night just after eleven the pastor does get up
and urgently to a farm he has to drive
where a young girl was almost raped and a father did it stop.
He knows that on the road the police he would possibly find.
God is great as the farm-murders are nowadays many
and in the lights of the car the cornfields do pass.

The farmer and his people are shocked but the incident did pass,
The farmer shot a tikoloshe but a human was picked up.
He did bleed badly; did stare at them in anger and his curses were many
and the people are sincere he thinks while he does drive.
They are confused he believes and the right thoughts they have got to find
but ahead in the road suddenly a monster rises and wants him to stop.

He pushes the accelerator down and do decide not to stop
the car is running at speed and he just wants to pass
when the machine does cut out and he struggles an escape to find.
The car comes to a halt and the pastor from the dashboard does look up
notices a werewolf that stands on its hind legs and he does pray to be able to drive.
He looks at an evil, vicious monster and his thoughts are many.

Overwhelming evil comes from the creature and his fears are many.
The door is pulled open and he is jerked out without being able to stop,
there is no possibility to jump back into the car and to drive.
The creature walks around him and then do pass
but howls angrily and to the moon looks up
and then the half-human looks into his eyes while it does pleasure find

from the fear. "I am going to rip out your throat and your blood I will find/"
Near to the pastor there are stones and they are many.
He bends down to pick some up
but does realise that no rock will this creature stop
and whatever he does this creature he cannot pass.
The police as if they do not notice them with speed do drive.

He is more afraid than he has ever been while away the police do drive.
He thinks: "they are never coming when help you do have to find."
He prays aloud and says: "Lord Jesus, let this thing pass."
The monster laughs and says the reasons that Satan wants him killed are many.
"Stop right there! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ stop!
my work for the omnipotent Lord is not finished" and into the sky he looks up.

The monster does pass, becomes human and the pastor's questions are many.
Away he wants to drive from this strange human some help to find
but first he has to stop while to God he sends a prayer up.

© Gert Strydom