It growls again
Like a hungry pact,
A grumbling
Belly-empty grind.
Its hoary arms
Touch my back,
I feel its breath
On my neck;
I quicken my pace
Past the gated community
Where family and friends
Stay secure
From this snap of wind,
The reach of its sleek, lean paws.

Swirling, circling
'Round my head,
I pull down my balaclava
Like a soldier of fortune,
I constrict my scarf
Mouthing an Ave Maria,
And turn home.