A Bear

A bear is easy to draw.

He is shaped something like

          a large, hairy pig

                    rooting stiffly on all fours.

          a short-muzzled dog

                    in not much of a hurry.

I once saw a black bear stripped of his clothing,

skull gone missing.

He looked for all the world like 

          a boiled man

                    belly-down on the grass.

His hand was large and plump, 

his knee brought up to his side

the way I bring my knee up to my side

when I sleep.

It did not seem right 

          to look upon his naked body.

It did not seem right 

          to violate the privacy of his death.

A bear is easy to draw.

Draw him wrapped in thick brown fur.

Draw him standing, looking to the horizon.

Draw him strong.

Draw him with respect.

A bear is neither pig, nor dog, nor disguised human.

A bear is 

          the breath of the forest, 

          the knuckle of the mountain,

          the lonely wandering thought 

                    of some long-forgotten god.