Therianthrope

Austin Price, Editor in Chief

The eldest daughter 

The concerned partner 

The curious scholar 

The lamb to slaughter 

A portrayal of all these entities 

Trapped in a hollow host 

Sudden shifts in an equilibrium 

Make the soul morose 

Divine deception 

Conscious connection 

Irresistible infiltration  

Damned demonstration 

A shield is suspended 

Preparing a soldier for battle 

Though there is no trusty stead to mount 

And no silver sword to handle 

Delineation is compulsory 

Alignment is foretold 

Like a dark fable of warning 

Trapped in fading gold 

Some call it two-faced 

Some call it acting 

I call it survival 

A way of attracting 

I know the lines to say

Their cadence and tone 

I know the roles to play 

Their stories set in stone 

One day I’m the falcon

Free, focused, and swift 

I flaunt my feathers of perception 

And power is my wit 

The falcon is sophisticated 

Truly a bird for show 

But with an undercurrent of caution 

Sailing high and swooping low

The next day I’m the ox 

Diligent, dependable, distinguished 

A reliable solution 

For problems are relinquished 

The ox carries a heavy load

Too big a burden to bear 

But yet it treads on 

No moment to spare 

Some days I’m the rabbit 

Scared silly and tickled timid

Hiding from invisible predators 

For redemption is limited 

The rabbit is perpetually ready 

To flee, freeze, or fight 

A heightened awareness 

That gets them through the night 

Other days I’m the fox

But these instances are far and few 

I wish to permanently metamorphosize 

To make my soul anew 

A fox is capable and clever 

Passionate and bright

Their armor is copper 

And shimmers in the night 

I wish to finalize my transformation

To slip on a secure skin

Into a creature that’s resourceful 

And not merely a means to an end 

While it’s fun to dream

I know it won’t last 

For my transitions are needed 

And I will always turn back 

While I know it is sad 

It is also very true 

I’m not one thing 

A mix of magic runs through

My nature comes from the land  

My personality, from the sky 

This is a necessary condition 

No point in asking why 

While my presence is steadfast 

My embodiment varies 

From a private routine 

And a secret resetting 

My status fluctuates 

Based on place, people, and time 

You’ll never see it coming 

And you’ll never know why 

I am not the falcon

I am not the ox 

I am not the rabbit 

And I am not the fox 

I am a culmination of characters

A variety that spans wide 

These creatures are my glamor 

They give me a place to hide

So the next time you see me

I dare you to guess

Who I was the last day

And who I’ll be the next