Foxwoman: An Ancient Folk Mystery – Yuan Changming

There is a fairytale told, and retold again
In the Ming Dynasty, about a coquettish fox that
Takes on the shape of a beautiful young woman
Ready to offer herself to a poor obscure guy


Like a magician she brings rich food and wine
To him during the day, and uses her two mouths

To suck up all his yuanqi (energy or masculinity)
At night until he dies in ecstasy of sexual love


Then, the immortal woman would marry another
While many hungry boys would rather become
That lucky guy. I enjoy thinking of that fox
Like a deformed soul wearing a human mask


With hair behind, which makes it feel itchy
While all men are waiting, in anxiety

Yuan Changming hails with Allen Yuan from poetrypacific.blogspot.ca. Credits include eleven Pushcart nominations, nine chapbooks as well as publications in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17), & BestNewPoemsOnline, among others.

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