Skins As Old Testament

Carter Revard

Skins as Old Testament

Wonder who first slid in
to use another creature’s skin
for staying warm – blood–smeared
heresy almost, Hunter becoming
Deer, Shepherd the Lamb as in flamelit
Dordogne caves or dim cathedrals –
crawling inside the deer’s
still–vivid presence there
to take their lives from what had moved
within, to eat delicious life
then spread its likeness over a sleeping
and breathing self, musk–wrapped
inside the wind,
the rain,
the sleet –
to roll up in a seal–skin self beneath
a mammoth heaven
on which the sleet would rap and tap,
to feel both feet
grow warm even on ice
or in the snow – hand–chalicing
new tallow flame as spirit
of passing life
and every time a tingling
revelation when the life
came back into a freezing hand or foot
after the fur embraced its flesh, still deeper
when human bodies coupling in
a bear’s dark fur
found winter’s warmth and then
its child
within the woman
came alive.


Carter Revard