The Writers Club
A Library of Creative Writing
FOREST RUN
by: R. Peck aka Phil Urr
Stalk the great elk cross peak and hollow
Blistering wind, cold, on a creased dry face,
Splinters of ice covered snow hang,
from eyebrows and hair, on elk and man.
Stressed raw muscle and nerve in the running animals,
man in his thighs, ankles against strong leather,
leather of the elk before,
The elk in his chest and heavy back legs,
stinging in the hooves and eyes.
Snow banks, rocks, stick with needles and fallen ice
Elk in desperation, panic and strife,
deeper plows with each leap,
Hooves strike loud then soft pain,
purs of tendon, stretched.
Man's fast pace taxes both,
Dragging down with weight of rifle and pack,
taxing the elk with fear,
Both hearts, pounding, banging,
In the runners ears.
Mistakes are few, but each significant
Shifting advantages, man elk, elk to man
is equal between the two;
trees, twists, turn and canyon steep grade.
The elks fear is life, no logic,
No fear of disembowel, impossible to fear
the inexperienced,
The knowing of not knowing presides,
Killing without lead nor shot,
Killing from the inside.
Man is complete with pattern and habit,
Deceit, vague trickery of a simple mind,
haughty, hungry,
Satiation, feeling rejected.
No compromise,
Deaths' power, advantage.
Meadow breaks to thick forest, elk eyes
Capture freedom ahead a few leaps and steps,
Quick turn, duck and down,
Percussion reaches the escaped, never the caught
Lost hope, lost logic,
Freedom walks slowly ahead.
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