Panther Island

Forever the Swamp stretches on,

its sultry air presses down

upon me,

yet I stay

~ my Island in the Bayou ~

a living monument,

my refuge,

for my Sanctuary lives here;

quiet as a shadow, he comes,

my panther, my Savior,

he glides in silence,

with liquid eyes that mesmerize,

muscles moving beneath his skin

like a magnet irresistible,

a guttural purr comforts me

as I nestle in,

safe at last;

And yet, suddenly a storm rages,

the Beast is free,

a violent eruption of cruelty

with petty excuse

of words misunderstood

or forgotten

~ it matters not ~

I cannot

move or speak,

paralyzed as he becomes not my Savior,

not my Sanctuary,

just a haunting echo

of my Nightmare past;

Until I remember

~ this time, too ~

I can leave.

©ACG

09 March 2012