THE MAN AND THE WOLF

His heart the texture of a rose,
his tongue a swath of sky,
his manner delicate-now

chatting with what many call
a beast: the look in the eyes rabid,
black: on the skirts of the village

devoured sheep and shepherd alike.
Men skilled with iron were routed.
Fangs shredded hunting dogs

like baby lamb. So out he went
looking for his den, found him
outside it, from where the animal

lunged at the sight of him, then saw
his hand rise, heard him say:
"Peace be with you, brother wolf."

The mammal knew thatgesture,
snapped out of it and froze:
"Oh, it's you." "Why,"

asked the man, "must you lead
this life? The blood your snout
spills, the grief and terror

you mete out, peasants sobbing,
who are children of God...
Does this please you? Are you

from hell, or perhaps consumed
by some eternal ire?" And the wolf,
subdued, said: "Winter is hard

and hunger worse in a freezing
forest that yields nothing to eat.
It's true: I looked for livestock

to feed on, and did, and ate
shepherds too. As for blood,
the hunter on his horse gripping

his metal pursuing boar,bear,
and deer-sheds more. I've seen scores
of them inflict wounds, torture

God's creatures. And hunger
is not what drives them to hunt."
To which the man responded: "Evil

exists in humans. We are born
with sin. But the simple soul of a beast
is pure. From this day on you'll have

enough to eat. And you will leave
the people of this land, and their flocks,
alone. May God appease

that side of you. "Okay-deal."
"As a gesture of faith extend
your paw-let's shake on it."

The wolf did as asked and lifted
his foot. The man wrapped his
fingers around it, gently squeezed.

They headed for the village. People
could hardly believe their eyes: the wolf
strode behind the man in the robe

like a family dog, his head bowed.
Every man, woman, and child
came closer, until the whole village

had gathered in the plaza where
the man began to speak: "Let me
introduce a new neighbor," he said,

pointing to the wolf with an open
hand. "Fear him not. He is
our enemy no more. In return,

I'm going to ask that each of us
do our part and feed him. He is,
after all, a creature of God.

The village responded as one:
"So be it!" The wolf raised
his head in acknowledgement,

moving his tail from side to side,
disappeared through the gates
of a convent, the man ahead of him.

For a time the wolf was at peace
in that place. His ears would fill
with psalms-his eyes with tears.

He learned how to move with grace,
to play pranks in the kitchen.
When the man whispered his prayers,

the wolf would pass his tongue across
his sandals. Out into the street
he'd go, through the valley, over hills,

into homes, where people gave him things
to eat. To them he seemed a docile hound.
And then the man had to leave

for a time. The sweet wolf, the good
and gentle wolf vanished and went
back into the hills. The howling began

again. Once more people were filled
with fear, villages nearby with dread.
Weapons and valor were useless, the rage

never letting up, as if something
burned, smoldered inside the beast.
The day the man returned villagers

sought him out, wept their complaints
about the suffering inflicted-that
infamous creature was at it again.

A shadow passed over the man's face.
He headed for the hills to track
him down-that butcher of a wolf.

He found him at his cave. "In the name
of the Father, who sees it all, what
have you got to say for yourself?!"

As if in pain, the animal spoke,
his mouth foaming, his eyes nearly
swollen shut. "Don't come any closer...

Peace and calm were my masters
these days. Even with you gone
I visited the village. When given

scraps to eat, I chewed, swallowed
in silence, with gratitude.
But I began to see, in many homes,

how people treat each other,
embers of greed, intolerance, lies
glowing subtly in countless faces.

The weak were losers, the cruel winners.
Brother made war on brother. Male
and female were like dog and bitch,

and then they began to beat me,
considered me weak for licking
their hands and feet. I believed

you: all of creation were family-
men my siblings, oxen too, the stars
my sisters, my brothers worms.

But they picked on me, drove
me away. Their laughing was like
scalding water, re-awakening

a beast-suddenly a "bad" wolf
is what I was, yet no worse
than them. And so the struggle

to survive took over: to defend myself,
to feed myself, like the bear does,
like the boar who, in order to live,

must kill. So let me remain here,
wild and free. And you, my friend,
back to your people, your good

and tender deeds."The man
didn't say a word. Deep
was his gaze. Then he walked away,

tears on his cheek. His heart,
touched with desolation, offered
a prayer only the wind in the forest

could hear, carrying it skyward.