I think that word is the key word to the entire poem. I'm glad you used it within the title, because pain of a broken heart is so powerful... howling has such depth to it... when a person cries into a pillow that want to muffle the depth of volume.... so it sounds like a faraway howl of a wolf....
I may have went way to far into this.. but I do like key words that make you think.
Emotionally speaking, this poem can bring the reader to tears... just beautiful!