Feminine Spirit -- by Candace CraneWhy do you hate me, man?You hate me because I am a wolf. Because I slide silently over the land in the shadows of winter and you cannot see me-- Where I come from Or where I go. Because I sing in the dark, sometimes for no reason You can ascertain, And you count my voice as Eerie, Dangerous, Threatening to your safety. You hate me because I am wild, And you cannot control me. In my fur, the lightning makes its home. In my soul, the wind blows free. You call this chaos. You trap me Club me Burn me Rope me and drag me through the dirt. You cut off my feet and ears Pull my teeth Rip off my skin Slash the throat of my young And pile their bodies in the dump. Even so, You can never kill me And never own me. You can only come to know me And see I am your Other. Why do you hate me? Because I am a wolf... A woman... A wolf... A woman... -- Candace Crane in "Shaman's Drum" fall 1994 |