Life Reflected by Moon on Snow
by Lenora Rain-Lee Good

First line from “Papyrus Pantoum’ by Arthur Sze, Into The Hush

Coyotes surround a buck    staggering in the snow–
small pack, teach pups to hunt    buck staggers on snow-covered rocky ground

pups yip their excitement    buck bleeds from shallow bites on legs
coyotes circle, dart, retreat    buck, far from dead, lowers head, horns low

pack laughs, lunges, goes for the kill    buck slings two over his head, hoof gets third
coyotes hear death cries of packmates, breaking bones    buck has fewer hecklers

the calls, the pounding of hooves, the feel of    vibrating ground frightened rabbit
confused, he comes out of his burrow    runs between pack and buck

pups chase the rabbit yipping loud    buck, startled, backs, crunching young coyote
pack broken, elders chase young    buck turns, quickly walks to the forest, safety

Grandmother Moon chuckles above    sends crows to pester coyotes
rabbit survives another night    coyotes eat mice for dinner, not venison, but filling.



 

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