by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Today, coyote,
I will let you
own this land.
For you stood
your ground
this morning
across our path,
unwavering,
until I turned
to leave.
Coyote
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, Poetry
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Today, coyote,
I will let you
own this land.
For you stood
your ground
this morning
across our path,
unwavering,
until I turned
to leave.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, Poetry
fourwindowspress 
Spiritual, very nice.
Sometimes the smallest poems speak volumes – lovely…
I can see the coyote staring you down until you left. Your mastery of understatement is wonderful. You permit the reader to finish your poem.
As Slowmoto said, I too like the spirituality of this – the respect for the coyote – (sort of an unspoken “salute”). Powerful in its simplicity.
As other commenters mentioned, there’s a deeper theme of spirituality going on here, which I appreciate.
But I’m more taken by your brilliant depiction of something less spiritual and more human — our pride. The speaker in your poem, though defeated against the coyote, still managed to find a way to save his/her face. And I love that because it’s so true.
A fine piece. Much appreciated by my mind and heart both. Thank you so much.
Nicely done! And there are layers and ambiguities here. I note that “Today, coyote …” with the implied “but not perhaps tomorrow …” and the further hint of “… I hope …”.
I like that the coyote was able to own the land for another day. Sometimes there’s a dilemma–is it his land or our land?
It is always an honor to look the trickster in the eye, to hold his gaze. Good poem!
Must be quite an experience to get stared down by a coyote. We need more deference to our wild creatures…
Amen to that.
poignant.