he’s eaten breakfast & gone for a walk
such a great bear all hung with stars
carrying a knife, a camera & a book of myths
between black teeth he has to wear his skin out
blood is the belly of logic, the ribs of the disaster
saddles of deep snow on the ridges
glacier-slick rattlesnake country
what is nature except a place of predators & victims?
a red plant in a cemetery of plastic wreaths
a woman’s vulva drops over
the man’s neck & tightens
lilacs blow across his face
glad he brought you
Stan resides in Toronto and is the author of twenty-seven books, including twelve poetry collections and a handful of chapbooks.
Questions and Answers
What inspired or motivated you to write this poem?
The poem originated from an image I had of Milton Acorn, slugging it out in the Maritime wilderness, as well as his tempestuous relationship with Gwendolyn MacEwen, also slugging it out, while creating beauty from hardship. The trick was to allow the poem to do the work without reference to any of the specifics.