I See You by Jo Cameron-Symes

There is one night a month when you are not mine
Then you belong to the forest
You think I am asleep but,
I see you
I see you change.

You fall to the floor and shiver, tremble all over
Then gradually glistening blades of fur emerge from your skin
They form a silky dense coat of silver
Your hands become paws with concealed sharp-edged claws
A tail appears from the base of your spine
A fluffy, brush-like tail.

The biggest change is to your face
I never see this transformation as your back is always turned
At first it startles me,
The handsome husband I know turned into wild wolf
Then I look into its eyes and recognise you
The familiar compassion and warmth is there still
This is you.

I long to reassure you and stroke your silky fur
To remind you that this is temporary and not your fault
But before I can do so
You pace across the room and run into the night
Then leave me until morning
When I wake and find my husband next to me again
Coated in a blanket of leaves and dusty earth.