Compounding Fracture

There were years
of confusion.  A beast
raised by hand becoming
a horse, a lion or fire;

an animal of contradiction
conflicted by love, awe
and independence.

Hands that raised us
did not make us, would not
keep us, could not

destroy us.

Each pod falls independently
under the influences
of nature but

all of them scratch and claw
their way to surface.

So we run and carry others
on our backs, prey on those
who hunt us,  feed the burn

consuming us
from within.