The Burning of the Forest
written by: Zairheen Marie Nuñal
There is a bizarre and gruesome tale
about a lady in red with jet-black hair
Her tongue yields the power of words
Her soul is free and seeks no master
A big, bad wolf lurks in the shadows
His eyes are torn and his chest, hollow
He tries to tame the beauty in red
But she declines and leaves instead
She makes her way to the cottage in the forest
where she welcomes solitude as a constant evening guest
Then the night shifts into a ghastly scene
An awful smell of a dangerous scheme
There, she hears the howling from afar
The ravenous wolf swears to take her heart
She stands her ground and tells him off
“Just like you, I can wreak havoc.”
He turns her words into a wheedling tune
then cries wantonly at the cold, blue moon
“Leave her be,” said the prudent monkey
“She gives food that fills my belly.”
The wolf sneers and gives a warning
“Make no mistake. I am her king.”
“A king with no crown,” says the spiteful snake
She slithers along the towering branches in the lake
“Your lady makes for an awesome meal.
Why don’t you and I make a friendly deal?”
“You are no friend of mine,” comes the wolf’s hasty reply
He leaves the trail without saying goodbye
The snake faces the amused monkey from behind
and offers the deal to which he declines
Then it echoes, a knock on the door
The lady in red looks out the window
Without warning, the wolf crashes inside
He grabs her wrist before she can hide
The greedy monkey is cheering outside
as the scene unfolds with a battle cry
The lady in red emerges from the darkness of the night
Her chest wide open as she strides with a crooked smile
As her eyes rest on the dying embers in the fireplace
She spits blood on the ground and sets the forest ablaze
- The Burning of the Forest - September 8, 2025
- Haiku for the Forbidden - April 7, 2025
