Author’s Prelude My family and I travel to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks two or three times a year, every year. Sometimes we are lucky enough to see wolves. Sometimes these are relatively close encounters. Wolves are curious. They’re curious about people. They take the time to stop and look before going on about their business. If a wolf takes the trouble to look you in the eyes, you will never forget it. These stories are my first-hand observations. They happened. I was there and know they’re true. The poems reflect my feelings about the encounter. The pictures and videos are ours. They were taken with equipment small enough to carry for miles into the backcountry and are therefore not of professional quality. That doesn’t bother me, and I trust it won’t bother you. The purpose of this book, besides having fun and remembering some special times, is to share my personal experiences with wild wolves. My hope is that these stories can help to dispel fairy-tale notions of the “big bad wolf”. The only myth-like truths about wolves are their size and beauty and the power they hold over the human psyche. Please contact me through my blog, Sweet Planet Poems, where you can find more poems and pictures about wolves and other wild creatures, including humans. You can also visit my website Songs for a Beloved Friend. Videos can be accessed through the links provided in the column to the left; or by going to YouTube, monicaglickman. Thank you and please be in touch! |