Meet my friends
Herr Scarecrow
thin as winter
almost elegant
with hunger
rueful smile
thin as winter wind
through a hedge
he must live in the woods
never let him in the house
we cannot bear his stories
you might have seen him
when the rain cleared
sitting in the fields
counting his stones
believe him
lacking flesh to lie with
his truth is a famine
Mr Bear Mr Bear
has lots of hair
and paws with claws
and long strong jaws
Mr Bear my friend
we lost you when
in the park one day
I don’t know
something happened
we were very small
when you returned
we hardly knew you
beware beware
the bear
is a friend with teeth
he dances
I didn’t teach him
churning the earth
thinking of country matters
in the high fields
a swarm of bees
writhes in weak sunlight
out of his sight
I celebrate my bear
hug trees and weep
strew my hair with flowers See also “Sometimes a Wild God” by Tom Hirons