Bear and Scarecrow

Meet my friends

Herr Scarecrow thin as winter almost elegant with hunger

rueful smile thin as winter wind through a hedge

he must live in the woods never let him in the house we cannot bear his stories

you might have seen him when the rain cleared sitting in the fields counting his stones

believe him lacking flesh to lie with his truth is a famine

Mr Bear Mr Bear has lots of hair and paws with claws and long strong jaws

Mr Bear my friend we lost you when in the park one day I don’t know something happened

we were very small

when you returned we hardly knew you

beware beware the bear is a friend with teeth

he dances I didn’t teach him churning the earth thinking of country matters

in the high fields a swarm of bees writhes in weak sunlight

out of his sight I celebrate my bear hug trees and weep strew my hair with flowers