What Big Eyes You Have

“don’t go into the woods alone at night,” her mother said,

but Pietra was not like the other girls who wandered

this way and that, especially in the company of boys—

so the words went unheeded for very much a long time,

especially since she so liked to dance under moonlight.

it was a myth that wolves turned by the moon cycle,

but that did not stop the howling or the nightly prowls,

too many monsters tramping across the forest floor—

each one slavering to sink their teeth into young maids,

girls just like Pietra as she took turns under the pale moon.

every night was its own temptation, bolts upon the door,

but Pietra did not believe in wolves or ghosts or demons

(no matter what her mother pleaded with her to heed)—

so it was not long before a wolf found her and fixated,

teeth snapping together, craving the girl under moonlight.

it was the third turn when Pietra felt the eyes upon her,

but she hummed to herself and did not hear the steps

or the crackling of branches under foot (such naivete)—

so it was a surprise indeed when she spun and found

a beast ready to tear her in two under the pale moon.