Rob Schackne #56 - To Be A Wolf

To Be A Wolf

                                for Zheng Xiaoqiong

He runs barefoot. The snow and ice
Heaven and earth. Mother between
The boy falls asleep
His father is missing for 3 days
Searching in the hills and meadows
His mother carries the babies

Heavy rain. 8 years old
His father's body
What you learn from that
To be a wolf. Think like a wolf
The mountains are small
A mother's hug.

He is 10. Already
He takes care of those who love him
He learns to sing the mountains
Where his father died
A thousand years of stars and tears
He sings them
Many years later he sings:

I am a bucket
My water is in the bucket
With your hand so sweet
Carry the sorrow and joy together
Make me a good life

A night that brings the next day
A day that lets us sleep in peace

We come from the mountains
We walk the streets like mountain paths
Our jobs are canyons
Our boss is a ridge
The salary is just a river to cross

A night that brings the next day
A day that lets us sleep in peace

I walk everywhere like a stranger
I pick my steps carefully
Perfect flowers I sometimes see in boxes
Her kiss tasted like wild honey
I am alone. I sing.