Snare of the Arrow
The storytelling is done by Colin Analco. The original work has been published by DSDJ, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Fall 2010.
Sunlight glares on woods wind flutes through trees
a leaf falls
swaying
onto a stream
Upwind a hunter paints his cheeks
and bows like a sapling
his head up
to breathe wary for deer–
Up like an arrow landing smack in leaves
a deer sashays swaying his rack
The hunter stares plucks his bow unsnares the arrow
rippling quills whistle in wind
far-rocketing shaft pierces being–
The prey topples.
Deer flanks gush
blood on water
seeping rushing cascading splashing
flowing downstream spotted with leaves lily pads bobbing in shallows
A floating frog swollen with sound ogles the rushing stream
A butterfly flutters on the wind.
A tongue launches roaring like dragon-fire smacks the fly’s flank–
crushing a winged life with a slurp a gulp and sigh.
Lily pads bob in the hushed shallows. Rushing upstream
the lonely hunter in kneeling prayer
compares deer to heaven
offers up smoke
drapes deer over shoulders and walks the wind through trees
in the waning sun.
Translation by Jennifer Phillips