When i feel drawn
to your inwardness,
to know what is hidden
in your fierce mortality, you
become assailable to me
as if to say: “You

never notice me,
i steal along in silence
and long to find your hand, to
spread your fingers, and draw myself
there; so that you could always hold me,
but i have nothing left to prove to you dog,
and i am weary of killing to survive.
i want to repose here in the snow
and ruminate on the dreariness
of living in a world of white …”

“Ah, but remember,” dog said,
“the sky is blue and water too,
and i’ve always felt respect for you,
no matter how you tear and scare;
i just can’t help but care when you act,
so, well, affectionate…”

“I know, i know,” bear replied,
“i’m so endearing lying here and no
one’s fearing what my savageness might
do if suddenly i come unglued and rise up on
my mighty haunch and roar and spit and tear and
scare and eat the flesh of seals and ALL THOSE
THAT PROVOKE ME …”

“Yes … yes … i’m thankful for you
being this way,” dog sighed, “and would
it be ok to ask, that when your highness seems
so cool, so relaxed, and bemused; might it be my
awesome personality that’s, perhaps, made you this way? –
i mean, would it be presumptuous of me to really know
why you’re lying there so adorably unassuming?”

“Ohh, it’s not that i’m not who i am,
so vulnerable upon this bed of snow;
i’m a magnificent carnivore you know-
{{{THEY CALL ME URSUS MARITIMUS}}}
or, if you care to be less formal dog,
‘yo polar bear’ is cool cause i’m
tired and wanna snooze …”

“I don’t mind, but
i want you to know
that this isn’t normal
what we’re doing here,
to be so still and loveable
without enkindling fear,
to be so close and trusting
seems quite bizarre to me,
instead of running for my life
we could be sharing tea …”

“A FINE IDEA DOG;” bear yawned,
”i prefer oolong with nutmeg and lemon …”


richard lloyd cederberg
     A Monumental Journey Novels