Coyote's Shyness

"COYOTE'S SHYNESS"

1.
"COYOTE'S SHYNESS"

Coyote, the trickster, used to be shy. He who is always in
the front row waving at the camera. Shouting at
everything in sight. A long time ago, Coyote talked
quietly. You could say he was even shy. The
Grandfathers were proud of him. Because you see, when
you tell a story, the little words you speak migrate to the
ear. And when Coyote first spoke. He spoke this way.
And his words ran like small animals covered with fur.
And crawled into the cave of the ear where the words
hibernate for a while. Then begin to turn and scratch.
And come slowly awake. And tell their story. That's how
stories get started. Hardly before you know it. One gets
into your head. And after a while you hear it. And you
begin to know who you are.

From Coyote's Quodlibet (1995). Used with permission of the author.

2.
Coyote, the trickster, used to be shy.
He who is always in
the front row waving at the camera.
Shouting at everything in sight.

A long time ago, Coyote talked
quietly. You could say he was even shy. The
Grandfathers were proud of him.
Because you see, when
you tell a story,
the little words you speak migrate to the
ear. And when Coyote first spoke.
He spoke this way.
And his words ran like small animals
covered with fur.

And crawled into the cave of the ear
where the words hibernate for a while.
Then begin to turn and scratch.
And come slowly awake. And tell their story.
That's how
stories get started.
Hardly before you know it. One gets
into your head. And after a while
you hear it. And you
begin to know who you are.

Diane Glancy

From Coyote's Quodlibet (1995).

Quodlibet" is defined by Webster's as 1. A disputation on a philosophical or theological point, and as 2. A whimsical combination of familiar texts. The book was designed by Charles Alexander at Chax Press.