"Old Bones" by Gary Snyder

While this isn't a seasonal poem, I just enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share. The picture below is of a scree slope (the setting of the poem). While perhaps not exactly the scene Gary Snyder had in mind, the image is useful if scree (accumulation of broken rock fragments)  is new to you.

Old Bones
by Gary Snyder

Out there walking round, looking out for food,

a rootstock, a birdcall, a seed that you can crack

plucking, digging, snaring, snagging,

         barely getting by,

 

no food out there on dusty slopes of scree—

carry some—look for some,

go for a hungry dream.

Deer bone, Dall sheep,

         bones hunger home.

 

Out there somewhere

a shrine for the old ones,

the dust of the old bones,

         old songs and tales.

 

What we ate—who ate what—

         how we all prevailed.

Poem found at: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/243088
Image found at: http://tedmuller.us/Outdoor/Hiking/2009/090803-KinneyLakesLoop.htm