David Meade Poet Narrative

Notes About The Poem

 

Please note that the core of this story has been around a long time -- not sure of it's true origin, most likely it is not based on factual truth but is a myth -- you cannot kill a wolf in this manner.  It does capture the imagination -- it did mine . . . so I share it with you here.

 Here is my take on an old Eskimo story –  I call it -- Thirsty Love

Thirsty Love

As a young boy
    I watch with interest the small man
   Wolf Hunter - a wise father of the hunt


He begins an old ritual
   coating his knife blade 
   rich animal blood and tallow fat
   freeze

Wolf Hunter adds another blood-tallow layer
   freeze 
   and another – freeze

A frozen tallow-blood knife

Wolf Hunter knowing the wolf
    fixes his knife in ground
    blade up  
    prays and leaves . . .



Grey wolf sniffs air and begins to run
    blood is on the wind  
    he licks, tasting the delicious blood-tallow

He howls into the night and licks faster
   a blood lust building 
   lapping the blade until the sharp edge bites 

Feverishly now, faster and harder 
   Grey wolf licks the blade in the arctic night
   great is his craving for blood

The insatiable blood-thirst 
    now being satisfied by his own warm blood 
    the naked blade biting his tongue
    his carnivorous appetite devouring 




In the pale morning light
    Wolf Hunter finds Grey Wolf
    dead in the snow
    stooping down he picks up his knife

 I stand . . . frozen  – sicken by the sight
    Wolf Hunter looking at me says
    . . .  to be consumed by your own desire
                    is a dangerous and deadly foe 




Years later
    staring at the bottle
    hands shaking -- eyes filled with lust
    a vison: a grey wolf consumed . . . dead
    the howl of the wolf-wind beseeching 

To be consumed by your own desire is a dangerous and deadly foe


                          \_____/>
                          /\      /\









David Meade
12-12-2014

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Kp Nunez August 23, 2015 at 4:19 AM Poking in your poem closet, I found this, David. Riveting story. Yes, I have heard this in speeches but the poetic narrative has a power all its own. Thank you for sharing this and for adding the parallel lesson at the end. It is more dangerous indeed to be imparting lessons yet fail to apply them to our own selves. Awesome write. Another 7 and fav. PS. How are you, my friend? hugs! David Meade August 23, 2015 at 9:12 PM Thank you dear Kim for your kind visit and friendship! All is well -- getting my two youngest daughters off to college has taken a lot of time. I have many poems running in my head that I hope to some day write. All the best my dear . . .

Bl Devnath March 7, 2015 at 12:01 PM Rightly said here the essence at the end. First time i feel it is covered with charade but finally got. i feel 7 here. Thanks for sharing this gem, my beautiful friend. Loved always,bl

Casarah Nance January 9, 2015 at 7:43 PM You are such a great story teller!!! everything of yours I read I love! you rock!

Bill Yates January 8, 2015 at 9:28 AM That is very imaginative, so much so that I can hardly stand to read it. I can almost feel the cut. Good work!

Sharlotte Newan December 22, 2014 at 11:44 AM COOL

Monterey Sirak December 17, 2014 at 4:17 PM Wow! Images that leap off the page flinging a powerful message.

Maurice Yvonne December 15, 2014 at 8:30 AM I am glad you re construct these important stories. Well done. What you do here is a great gift to all, please never stop. I also admire your honesty always. I was not aware of this story and you enlightened me, who could ask for more.

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders December 14, 2014 at 12:31 AM Oh wow, a powerful message with such vivid imagery, my heart is still racing! This one will stay with me...you retold the story in such a great way and really emphasized the moral lesson...hugs, Rhonda

Brenda Meier-Hans December 13, 2014 at 8:42 PM A wonderful lesson to be learned here. The problem was getting too the end. I was cringing so bad I could hardly finish reading this lol

Andrea Dietrich December 13, 2014 at 11:06 AM oh my gosh, I read the top part this time and saw it was based on lore. Sorry I missed that the first time. I had gone just straight for the poem.

Connie Marcum Wong December 13, 2014 at 12:26 AM David, I think you told this story very creatively and well. I was drawn in to the end. Your last line says it all!

August Fanon December 12, 2014 at 10:09 PM It's hard to describe my feeling about this poem because the story is not original. Here is another version of the same story given in a speech on an intro of a Hip-Hop album that I really like by Dead Prez. The man giving the lecture is Omali Yeshitela, he is the leader of the Uhuru Movement which is a socialist political organization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJktslo1P2w I'm not claiming that Yeshitela is the author of the story. The story is obviously very old. David Meade December 13, 2014 at 12:58 AM You are correct that the core of this story is not my own. I first hear it some 40 + years ago when I was a kid and have since heard it numerous time. All I was doing here was retelling a story with a moral ending. I believed the story was in the public domain and I prefaced the story in the notes that it came from the Eskimos. If I am wrong I will take down the story.

Charmaine Chircop December 12, 2014 at 8:14 PM It is fearful indeed when self control is lost by carnivious desire. Controlling our instincts is what makes us more human than any other animal. Powerful Message here!

Cherl Dunn December 12, 2014 at 7:44 PM Really loved your work on this one, nicely done my friend, and thank you for your comment on my the valley aurara, sorry about this being so short but I had a early and long day, cheri

Shadow Hamilton December 12, 2014 at 4:34 PM what a powerful message David great pen hugs 7 + fav

Andrea Dietrich December 12, 2014 at 4:30 PM oh my gosh, this is brilliant. I will fave this one. Where are you getting these marvelous stories? Are they based on true Indian lore ? Or are you completely making them up?

Liam Mcdaid December 12, 2014 at 4:14 PM outstanding story david very beautifully painted pal

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser December 12, 2014 at 1:57 PM powerful and the message is so clear... :)! with a beautiful message

Tim Smith December 12, 2014 at 1:40 PM A fabulous tale with great imagery and deep meaning....a7 and fav from me

Anne-Lise Andresen December 12, 2014 at 11:51 AM - A poem that gives me some goosebumps ....... maybe I read it a bit "deeper" than what opinion is ...... but, a really well written poem, David - .... love your small "shapes" :) - oxox // Anne-Lise :)

Gary Bateman December 12, 2014 at 10:32 AM David, This is a great narrative write here!! Extraordinarily well-done. I read it again and again because of the interplay of the words with the images and vice versa. Your final two verses paint the real deal with "lust." A definite "7" here and this one's a FAV!! Best Always . . . and have a great weekend!! Gary

Eileen Manassian December 12, 2014 at 9:20 AM What a story, David. How real. You just drew me in to the story and I anticipated the sad ending...and...and I related to it. I know this lust. I know how it can kill. Thanks for sharing. David Meade December 12, 2014 at 3:06 PM My sweet little one!! thank-you for your kind visit and comment. We all have our demons (wolfs) that hound us . . . great is the courage and skill to stand up them -- everyday!! Your the best!