Spells: New and Selected Poems

From Wolf Song

173 From​Wolf Song act​ii Scene 1 Music stops. A wolf trail at the front of the stage. Sound of Wolf Howls. In silence, nine Wolf Puppets move along the trail. deer​chorus [song starting softly and gradually mounting in speed and exuberance] The​wolf​is​coming​back,​the​wolf​is​coming​back! The​wolf​makes​us​strong,​the​wolf​makes​us​strong! We​are​the​deer​that​the​wolf​makes​strong, We​toss​our​antlers​and​we​move​along, When​the​wolf​is​here​we​let​some​trees​alone, We​let​the​brush​grow​thick​and​animals​come, We​let​the​fish​and​birds​and​the​butterflies​thrive We​help​the​whole​planet​come​alive! The​wolf​is​coming​back,​the​wolf​is​coming​back! The​wolf​makes​us​strong,​the​wolf​makes​us​strong! The​wolf​heals​our​forest,​the​wolf​heals​the​trees, The​wolf​fills​the​world​with​the​balance​of​ease​.​.​. The last Wolf Puppets disappear down the trail. deer​chorus​soloist [chanting as in plainsong] The​wolf-​ path​is​long​and​respectful, trodden​next​to​the​forest. Centuries​of​wolf​feet​have​trodden the​path​next​to​the​forest, Lined​with​scat​and​bones, with​antlers​and​carcasses 174 going​back​to​the​earth, to​our​home​in​the​earth​.​.​. And​the​Blackfeet​say​that​the​Milky​Way Is​the​wolf​trail​to​heaven The​Blackfeet​say​that​the​Milky​Way Is​the​wolf​trail​to​heaven Their​strong​fast​feet​tread​it, Their​spirits​have​fed​it, the​path​next​to​the​forest. act​ii Scene 4 Red is walking far off in the forest. red With​a​remembered​sound Faint​as​empty​morning Waiting​with​hollow​wings Till​the​far​bird​sings​.​.​. Gradually, the Deer Chorus surround her. red Who​comes​down​through​the​fields, From​the​ridge​where​the​foot​pads Walk​and​follow​the​trail, As​they’ve​done​for​long​decades? deer​chorus [dancing around her as they sing, throughout this scene] The​wolf​is​coming​back,​the​wolf​is​coming​back! The​wolf​makes​us​strong,​the​wolf​makes​us​strong! 175 red Who​comes​gray​through​the​tawny Wiry​brush​of​the​meadow, Takes​the​elk​in​the​field, Breaks​bones​with​bones,​like​a​linking? deer​chorus The​wolf​makes​us​strong,​the​wolf​makes​us​strong! The​wolf​heals​our​forest,​the​wolf​heals​the​trees, The​wolf​fills​the​world​with​the​balance​of​ease​.​.​. Fenrus [from offstage] Wolf!​Wolf!​Wolf! The Deer Chorus fade back into the trees, still slightly visible. red [following the sound to edge of the trees at stage right] Fenrus,​what​are​you​up​to?​What​do​you​mean,​Wolf? Fenrus [more quietly, appearing] Wolf! red Did​you​really​see​a​wolf? 176 Fenrus Oh​yes!​My​name​is​Fenrus,​and​that​means​Wolf,​and​I​did​see​a​wolf!​ And​I’m​going​to​tell​my​dad—and​he’s​going​to​come​and​kill​it—just​ like​he​did​last​time!​The​time​he​let​you​out​of​the​wolf’s​belly​and​ you​came​back​to​life​and​ran​away! They sing a duet, intertwining their songs and voices. Fenrus [in duet with Red] Pa’s​coming​back​to​kill​it. Now​my​Pa​will​come​kill​it. Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin Now​he’ll​save​us​all​again Just​like​he​did​before Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin It​answers​when​he​comes​again The​wolf​will​answer​to​his​gun Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin Now​he’ll​save​us​all​again Just​like​he​did​before Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin Just​like​he​did​before red [in duet with Fenrus] Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin We​can​make​the​wolf​begin I​sing​in​the​heart,​I​sing​in​the​voice, I​sing​the​bones​that​have​no​choice Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin 177 We​can​make​the​wolf​begin It’s​time​to​move​and​come​alive The​bones​will​need​you​to​survive Eye​and​nose​and​fur​and​skin We​can​make​the​wolf​begin The Deer Chorus fade away completely. From​act​iii Scene 2 La Loba’s clearing. Spring. Before dawn. Shadow and increasing light play softly through...