Wanted that red, wanted everything tucked inside br that red, that body, it seemed, turned inside out, br that walking flower, petals furled, leaved br by the trees by the forest path, the yellow basket br marking the center-- br br wanted to raise that rose br petal skin to my gray face, barely to brush br that warmth with my cold nose, but I knew she'd cry br for mercy, help, the mother who'd filled the basket br that morning, Wolf, she'd cry, Wolf, and she'd br be right, why should she try to see beyond br the fur, the teeth, the cartoon tongue wet br with anticipation? br br And so I hid behind br a tree as she passed on the path, then ran, as you know, br to her grandmother's house, but not as they say, I knocked br and when she answered I asked politely for her br advice. And then, I swear, she offered me tea, br her bonnet, an extra gown, she gave me more br than advice, she tucked me into a readied bed, br she smoothed my rough fur, I felt light br as a flower, myself, stamened and stemmed in her br sweet sheets. br br Not ate her, you see, but rather became br her, flannel chest for the red head, hood br that hid the pearl that when I touched it flushed br and shone. What big eyes! and she opened the cape, br tongue, mouth to her mouth, and opened everything, br I crooned, crawling inside, wolf to flower, br gray to rose, grandmother into child br again, howl to whisper, dagger to cloak, br my mother father animal arms, disarmed br by love, were all she ever dreamed of.