"Song"

by Frank Bidart

You know that it is there, lair

where the bear ceases

for a time even to exist.



Crawl in. You have at last killed

enough and eaten enough to be fat

enough to cease for a time to exist.



Crawl in. It takes talent to live at night, and scorning

others you had that talent, but now you sniff

the season when you must cease to exist.



Crawl in. Whatever for good or ill

grows within you needs

you for a time to cease to exist.



It is not raining inside

tonight. You know that it is there. Crawl in.