1 br br the legend is whispered br in the women's tent br how the moon when she rises br full br follows some men into themselves br and changes them there br the season is short br but dreadful shapeshifters br they wear strange hands br they walk through the houses br at night their daughters br do not know them br br 2 br br who is there to protect her br from the hands of the father br not the windows which see and br say nothing not the moon br that awful eye not the woman br she will become with her br scarred tongue who who who the owl br laments into the evening who br will protect her this prettylittlegirl br br 3 br br if the little girl lies br still enough br shut enough br hard enough br shapeshifter may not br walk tonight br the full moon may not br find him here br the hair on him br bristling br rising br up br br 4 br br the poem at the end of the world br is the poem the little girl breathes br into her pillow the one br she cannot tell the one br there is no one to hear this poem br is a political poem is a war poem is a br universal poem but is not about br these things this poem br is about one human heart this poem br is the poem at the end of the worldbr br Lucille Cliftonbr br