bears, bears, bears

a tonic for us

in the valley of LeConte Creek
bears continue to be bears
despite roads & trails & houses,
despite the bear jams of cars
with gawking cameras out windows and sunroofs,
despite those of us on foot,
despite all the mouths that drop
and from which the finest of human nature
does not always express itself,

today we see four bears who climb after grapes and acorns













and amble along through the woods hunting for what to gather
to turn into fat through which to get to spring,








they notice us when we’re too abrupt in noise or action,
mostly they filter us out as if we’re annoying younger siblings,











we, at our best, seek to understand the bear
and to marvel at its world,
they, at their best, seek to know nothing about us,
for we can be as poison to them
while they can be as tonic for us.

by Henry H. Walker
October 7, ’11