Paleocene Spring

by David L. Wilcox


Far, far down the abysmal slope of time,

     The weaver wove.

Careful strands o'r hidden loom,

     Carried by a myriad furry paws,

          Warm and tiny, fearful,

               Scurrying away,

     Obscured behind a ponderous screen of flesh.

          Glorious strength!  Mighty voice!

               Fleet foot with clever talon!

          Surely the thunder inherits the earth!

               But those who watched, wondered.

Strand across strand, the secret shuttle flew.

     Millenia to shape a tooth,

          To thrice refine a drop of milk,

               And they ran, they climbed,

                     Pursued by terror,

                          Clasped by death.

     "Ah, who would bring a cub into this world?"

          But yet, but yet,

               Hark, far off and faint,

                     "Fill the earth!"

     That word still echoed in their fluttering hearts,

          And they ran on.

But the proud strode prouder,

     Ran faster, grew wiser,

          And gloried in their beauty.

               "Taller than the very trees!

                     Who shall come up against us?"

     The sharp claws cut,

          The fleeing died, and died.

               And still the watchers wondered.

     Sudden stood the weaver, grasped a star.

          "FINISHED!"

               The watchers gasped,

          He struck the loom

               A shattering blow,

                     And all the haughty beauty faded,

     Crumbled dust on the fabric,

          Blown down the eons

               On the winds of time.

From tree and hole

     Furry heads peeked, peered, ventured out,

          And lo,

               The earth stood empty!

          "Where the deathly talons?

               Where the thunder and the trumpet?"

     In the quiet hear the weaver,

          "They're gone. Gone. Gone.

               Fill me the earth.

                     Unroll our tapestry.

And the long light of spring

     Shone down in the morning.