Lioness

I caged her among wildflowers,

their petals disguising the bars,

afraid to let her roam free,

terrified of her power,

her ability to fiercely claw

out her place,

the earthy scent of her owning

her own skin,

the quiet pride in her sovereignty,

but I was not born

to live tamed.

I was born to roar

for my mane to reflect gold,

to rule over the waning summer,

prowling waves made of heat,

lapping up the light,

fangs puncturing the shadows,

even the sun bows - a loyal subject.

With trembling hands

I unlocked her silent bastille,

kneeling before her,

at long last accepting the gift of her,

Her golden pelt bunted

against my salt-stained cheeks

as her claws gripped into the clay

and she sprinted,

unbroken,

the wildflowers crowning her

with majesty.

And in their petals I glimpse

that the lioness

is me.