Girl in the Hood

The wolves are in the woods tonight,
but I am not afraid.
Some wolves wear tweed with
patches on their sleeves and
smoke sweet tobacco
from a long stemmed pipe.
They crouch in the brush
and rarely howl.
Some wolves have rough hands,
black nails, tanned boots.
They howl loudly.
Some wolves are only cubs—
their hunger is great,
their yelps transparent.
Some wolves offer to
get you across the lake to
a better job, a better life.
You’ll drown along the way.
Some wolves know how to avoid traps.
Some pull and snarl,
red and hungry through the night.
Serves them right.
Some wolves only travel in packs
and like a good feeding frenzy.
Some wolves will blow your house down.
Some wolves wear silk ties
and gel their hair—
fists full of cash.
Their howls sound almost like speech.
Some wolves masturbate publicly
as if they’re in a cage.
Some wolves say grace
at the dinner table,
read stories to their children.
Lie next to their wives
in bed each night.
Some wolves are in the woods tonight,
but I am not afraid.
I know every disguise,
Plus grandma has a gun,
and she’s not afraid to use it.