The Road to the Spring: Collected Poems of Mary Austin

How the Earth was Made at Pit River

369 How the Earth was Made at Pit River In this place Say the fathers of our fathers, There was nothingness and void. In this place Wearily went the Eagle, Wearily Coyote Saying where shall our station be? Where shall we rest? Purposing inwardly, Earthmaker Coyote Scratched at the void; By effort and inknowing thought Made dust out of nothingness, Dancing he firmed it. Around earth horizon Four times they circled, Coyote and Eagle, Three times to the place of earth’s beginning Returning unwearied. Three times they widened the earth by their dancing The fourth time returning Wearily staggering, “It is enough,” said Coyote. Said the Eagle, “Wide is the earth, O Pad-foot, But where shall a claw foot Find perch and holding? Lo, there shall be mountains!” Busily scratched they, Valleys and hills and sky-propping ranges, Thus, said they twain, worlds should be fashioned. 370 Fast as they labored, Such was the might of their world making magic, Where fell an eagle plume, sprouted a pine tree, Pinfeathers grew into buckthorn and berry bush, Shed hairs of Coyote thickened as grasses, Bright from their sweat leaped springs and rivers, Thus in this place Earth became, say the fathers. Editor’s Notes AU 225: two drafts, neither one very clean, one incomplete, with only one correction. ...