the forest we never chose,
you left us, in the middle of the forest, said be brave, it will make you strong. we learned to breathe with the trees, to tell the difference, between wind and growl, between a breaking twig, and a breaking promise.
so do not return now, with soft questions on your tongue, asking what the wolves did to us. you were the first howl, and we survived by naming it, and then choosing ourselves.
















