The Woodcutter by Anna Cates

A large tree in the middle of green woodland. Large white text reads: The Woodcutter. Smaller text reads: Discussing disabled characters in fairy tales and folklore.

A road seldom trod takes you somewhere strange.  
A shooting star, smoking in your hand,
lights the woodland path, portends
your axe will soon drip blood.  

Beyond the pine trail bobs a red hibiscus hood--
grasped in her fleshy grip, a wicker basket, wafting
freshly baked bread; some would simply huff,
“obese.”  And yet, you know these miles too well,
smell a wolf, suspect his wiles . . .  

Through the windowpane of the crone’s cottage,
a candle flares.  You limp forward, confound
the old wound, fog up the glass as you peer in.  
There, mostly covered by a quilt,
too, too much hair!  

That wicked goat!  You splinter the door.  
Your blade flies through the air.  
Peculiar deliverer, like a fish gutter,
so clever, you free her, free her!

    wood smoke
    ghosting the tarn
    hunter’s moon        

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About the author:
Dr. Anna Cates teaches writing, literature, and education online and has published a variety of books (poetry, fiction, and drama) through www.cyberwit.net, prolificpress.com, redmoonpress.com, and wipfandstock.com.  Her full-length poetry collection, Love in the Time of Covid, won an Illumination Book Award.  She resides in Wilmington, Ohio with her two cats.​