Animal Hearts by Elisabeth Horan

It takes the heart of an animal to testify

the heart of a human, dies and must go away

it buries down in the October litter; it accepts

that no one believes it’s story; animal hearts

only know survival, they are attacked again

and again, yet continue the fall harvest; they

continue the rearing of pups, kits and hatchlings

someone must feed them, protect them & warn

them of the predators — the testosterone storms

the wild and laughing fraternity brothers… who

come and eat the youth from mothers, who come

and stake flags on the bodies of our sisters…

who do not believe in testimony born of such brave

women. It takes the heart of an animal to survive

the cruelest winter. To survive the freezing temperature

dips of one’s personal isolation.  Until they find

warmth in other maternal dens. In the animal hearts —

of other women; in fellow survivors, in female friends.