"The Last Wolf"
The last wolf hurried toward me
through the ruined city
and I heard his baying echoes
down the steep smashed warrens
of Montgomery Street and past
the ruby-crowned highrises
left standing
their lighted elevators useless
Passing the flicking red and green
of traffic signals
baying his way eastward
in the mystery of his wild loping gait
closer the sounds in the deadly night
through clutter and rubble of quiet blocks
I hear his voice ascending the hill
and at last his low whine as he came
floor by empty floor to the room
where I sat
in my narrow bed looking west, waiting
I heard him snuffle at the door and
I watched
He trotted across the floor
he laid his long gray muzzle
on the spare white spread
and his eyes burned yellow
his small dotted eyebrows quivered
Yes, I said.
I know what they have done.
—Mary TallMountain
I wasn't sure if this was alluding to another story, I google it but didn't find it. It might fit with Fables, but I only read the first 2 volumes.
ReplyDeletePoop has hit the fan. I wonder is the wolf looking for help? The lone wolf is a common archetype in literature. Being the last, the wolf is also lone.
Who are "they"?
It's a cool poem because the reader gets to decided what caused this destruction
Mary TallMountain- Native American poet
ReplyDeleteWolf- sign of wisdom, often 'seers', prophecy, Cherokee Nation- a ni wa ya (Wolf Clan)- this is where my Dreadfulwater name came from, my great grandfather was a Medicine Man belonging to the Wolf Clan of the Cherokee Nation.
I wonder if this poem is referring to the presence or the future..."Yes, I said. I know what they have done." (or are doing). The wolf foreshadowing the current and future destruction of Mother Earth.
Have you seen Brother Bear? Native American totems (protectors, animal guides). I wonder what tribe the author is from and if the wolf was chosen as her totem?
ye
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