Four Mountain Wolves

Four Mountain Wolves



Chinle, late winter, 1973, when the wolves came

Gray mist wolf
from mountain frozen lake
traveling southwest
over deep snow crust singing
Ah ouoo
Ah ouoo
the fog hangs belly high
and the deer have all gone.
Ah ouoo
Ah ouoo
Gray mist wolf
following the edge of the Sun.
whirling snow wolf
spill the yellow-eyed wind
on blue lake stars
Orion
Saturn.

Swirling snow wolf
tear the heart from the silence
rip the tongue from the darkness
Shake the earth with your breathing
and explode gray ice dreams of eternity.

Mountain white mist wolf
frozen crystals on silver hair
icy whiskers
steaming silver mist from his mouth

Gray fog wolf
silent
swift and wet
howling along cliffs of midnight sky,
you have traveled the years
on your way to Black Mountain.
Call to the centuries as you pass

howling wolf wind
their fear is your triumph
they huddle in the distances weak.
Lean wolf running
where miles become faded in time.
the urge the desire is always with me
the dream of green eyes wolf
as she reached the swollen belly elk
softly
her pale lavender outline
startled into eternity.


Leslie Marmon Silko