by Ari Berk
It was the First Morning of the world
and no form had yet been fixed.
If you thought about something hard enough,
you might dream about it.
And if you dreamed about it
you might hear a portion of its song.
And if you sang its song,
You might borrow its shape
for a while.
So it was that Birch wanted to see something more of the forest,
To know the distant stands of beech. To walk among the great oaks. To meet the reeds that waved along the river. And Birch wished, just once, tfrom its roots and run.
So Birch dreamed Deer.
Dreamed its long limbs into legs
Dreamed its sap down into hooves and into a head.
Then Birch walked as Deer walked
Then Birch ran as Deer ran
Then Birch leaped as Deer leapt
And Birch was glad
and walked upon the deer-paths as a deer might do
and walked along the river and met the reeds and the River folk
And in those days the River folk were great storytellers.
And the Birch stayed among them for a time...