Poem - MAG Poetry Prize 2010
Wolves in the Snow
by
Aberdeen, UK
The quick of my bitten nail
shows a bright bead of blood.
Whoever said it was right: a man
alone is no good
is worse than a beast.
But this is mutual food:
our habits devour us,
more stubborn than reason,
passion, religion; our first
atavism, our animal kingdom.
Furled at thumb and breast,
automatic, automata when
we open our skin,
when we hunched and fed.
These quicks of our nails.
These beads of blood.
We curl in our beds
as wolves in the snow
must curl: star-blanket
above, tundra below;
shuddering; coiled against
everything we know.
Added: 31.03.2010
18.05.2010
Tight and concise text, rhyme and half rhymes mostly strong, powerful images. 'Our habits....' excellent line. Loses rhyme in middle.
25.05.2010
Very Excellent work. Beautiful poem with nice rhyming. liked it.
01.06.2010
Effective imagery.