The Last Moon of the Year

In the last moon

of the old year

the chiefs came together

all the chiefs

of all the lands

along the coast

and they sent for a wolf

a strong one, a fine hunter

and they told him

Now is your time to hunt

now is your time to run

across the ice

across the landscapes of snow

under the wild green

lights in the sky

Now is your time to hunt

and kill, and swallow

the final moon

last moon of the year

make it disappear

now is your time

to make things new

-- a year, a life, a hunt –

swallow that dying moon

then come back here

to the chiefs of the coast

we will reward you

They lied

They laid hold of that wolf

they cut his ankles

they blunted his teeth with stones

they blinded his wolf-grey eyes

they did it all

in the name

of a new year

of a new world

and the wolf

went stumbling away

recovering his sight

healing his ankles

so that he would be ready

when the summons came again

in the last

moon of the year