The Hunt
The moon is full and riding high
A golden blaze across the sky
Down below in shadows deep
The forest creatures stir from sleep
The mouse and squirrel stiffen in fright
As silent death moves through the night
Their little hearts about to rend
The smell of blood is on the wind
But shadows move and pass them by
For bigger prey their luck to try
Their amber eyes reflect the light
A wondrous , frightening thing this sight
Their darkened fur helps them to hide
As through the underbrush they glide
Until they reach the prey they seek
A herd of deer beside a creek
They move apart with practiced ease
And slowly creep among the trees
The alpha male selects a doe
And then prepares to start the show
But fate , a fickle thing is she
And changes whims capriciously
And so the wind’s direction turned
and bore a scent in memory burned
Unto the deer to turn their head
And filled each one with sense of dread
And then the deer as if on cue
turned and on swift feet they flew
Away from those who leap and bound
With slashing teeth that pull to ground
And thus the mighty race begins
Where one must lose , the other win
The prize does not go on some shelf
The winners prize is life itself
The deer in wild-eyed fear do run
To be ahead when race is done
The predators keep up the chase
They can’t afford to lose this race
They know that any meat they take
Will hope renew and hunger slake
Over rocks and logs and stumps
Through the brush the quarry jumps
And with every leap and bound
The pack continues to gain ground
With each second that time does flow
A single buck begins to slow
With heaving sides and rasping breath
He seems to sense his mortal death
While strength resides within him still
He stops to fight upon a hill
Standing tall beneath a tree
His rack a crown of majesty
He turns to face this fearsome pack
And bows his head to the attack
The alpha male with fur bedecked
Stops and waits to show respect
He also knows this mighty buck
Can kill or maim with any luck
And so they circle warily
If they’re to feed their family
And when they can no longer bide
The pack attacks from front and side
With slashing hoof and biting teeth
The fight begins without relief
For either side there is no rest
Until the fates decide the test
The buck at first holds back the flood
And tines of horn are red with blood
An eager male begins a rush
But from a hoof his skull is crushed
The buck fights on by less and less
And packmates see signs of success
Like blood that runs from many a place
And the defeat etched on his face
Until a cry of pain is spoken
As jaws compress and bone is broken
It then ends quickly for the deer
No more pain , no more fear
The pack sits back and takes a breath
And checks their own who’s still in death
They know he’ll run with them no more
His soul’s upon some distant shore
But they’ll remember him and mourn
They will all howl in proper form
And raise their voices to the sky
To soar above where angels fly
They await the alpha to begin
Their fellowship a happy din
The time of play is almost here
When all have fed upon the deer
And when at last the pack is through
The pieces left are far and few
To eat it all is still their way
They know the next one may take days
Now that this evenings hunt is oer
The pack heads home on forests floor
They silently move through the night
Like misty ghosts through the twilight
Until they stop upon the loam
And find themselves at last at home
When all the pack has gathered round
Inside the den is heard a sound
And like a furry gunnysack
The pups descend upon the pack
With every yip and bark or call
The love for them is felt by all
The pups are fed and taught to track
To insure the future of the pack
With all of nature nothings wasted
Life’s a journey to be tasted
The deer that got away today
Will live and breed another day
This will assure a stronger breed
Upon which future wolves will feed
And thus the circle comes around
For natures children to abound
To fulfill their own destiny
And live their life as it should be
Whysper