literature

Night Cattle

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Literature Text

She owns her flesh.
Old goddess, beautiful decay-
draping along the length of her bones
like a Shakespearean sonnet.
When the graveyard lurkers
come to pray upon a carcass,
they will howl their mournful sorrow
to the earth below their claws.
Devouring her, respectfully.
She, with an aged bird spirit:
unable to be caged.
Many cultures throughout Tanzania believe some witches can turn themselves into hyenas. The Wambugwe, who live in the savannahs of Tanzania, believe "every witch possesses one or more hyenas which are branded (invisible to normal eyes) with her mark, and to which she refers as her 'night cattle.'

NaPoWriMo 2012, #2

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callerofcrows's avatar
Again with your amazing imagery! I particularly like "aged bird spirit", it's such an evocative image that's usually cliched. You've managed to make it original.