Mid-January, & the bear who hasn’t had a meal in two months, & won’t for another three, half-wakes to chew sticks into soft chips, bedding for the cubs who will soon be born & squall & nurse. Later, in another wakeful period, she will chew off the calloused pads of her feet, full of last year’s travels. She may leave the den on her new feet to eat snow — or merely dream of it. And then she’ll go back under, as if in imitation of the winter trees: sap withdrawn, roots wedged tight into the bedrock. Her heart thumps just eight times a minute. But from the fastness of her dark unhungering bulk, milk will flow.
*
An earlier version of this appeared back in January under the title “Kenosis.”
This concludes “Bear Medicine,” which I think of as a single long prose poem or poetic essay in 12 named sections. Thanks for reading.
OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES
- Visitor
- Shift
- Bjorn and Bera
- Berzerkers
- Bear Dreamers
- Unmentionable One
- Straw Bears
- Bile
- Bear Moon
- Bear Walker
- Hope
- Owner of the Earth
I’ve really enjoyed this series, Dave – the lovely balance of mystical and factual. Thanks.
Thanks for commenting. I’m glad it resonated with you. (And I really must do a better job of following your blog — you have some wonderful stuff on there!)
What Kat said is exactly right. I’d love to read this as a chapbook with drawings.
Really? Hmmm.
Well, that made me weep!
C x