U Cignale

U Cignale

by Maggie Sawkins

Somehow you knew,

that if you should encounter one in the wild

the best thing to do is to walk backwards,

slowly.

 

This family in the Corsican forest

stopped us from heading to who

knows where.

 

I watched as they snuffled

for mulberries, chestnuts and figs,

condemning their flesh, with each morsel;

sweet enough for humankind.

 

It was the baby I was drawn to most –

compelled to pat its gingery head

until, grabbing my arm, you declared,

They’ve been known to dig up graveyards,

 

I guess this is all we can hope for:

that one person who has our back –

who cares whether we should survive.

 

Inspiration: Some years ago, while driving through a Corsican forest, we came across a family of wild boar. I was really excited and wanted to jump out to get a closer look. My husband, sensing it was probably not a wise thing to do, stopped me in the nick of time.

 

Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

 

Maggie Sawkins lives on the Isle of Wight. She’s a published poet, creative writing tutor and winner of the 2013 Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry. Her third full collection, The House where Courage Lives, is due to be published by Waterloo Press next Spring.