works by william pham, 2005-present

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I AM THE WOLF

I am the wolf and I put my jaws around her neck
in past and present tense I put my jaws around her neck
I forced her to feel the lack in the forest fire
on the brick stone path and burning woods
I lay her down between the trees and balding men
with their thrift-store suits and ferocious quips
they say “shall we see the picture at three ‘o clock
shall we see the picture at three ‘o clock?”
I say “shall I put my jaws around your neck
shall I put my jaws around your neck and close the door
behind the swaying of your willow dress and
press my claws against your small-town wrists,
such wrists that whisper into my flattened ears:
‘Hello dear wolf am I between the trees?
Hello dear wolf am I between the trees?’”
I am the wolf and I say shall I put my jaws
around your sweetly broken neck or
shall I put my jaws around your sweetly broken neck.

copyright (c) 2007 by william pham