coyote poem

a prologue to 'coyote poem'

to be posted

at all meetings

once the photocopying

budget is approved (action item)

first allegiance

eat

second allegiance

more coyote

third allegiance

chorale practice

fourth allegiance

raven

fifth allegiance

limelight

(hint: coyote likes life

stuffed with

cottontails.)

preface to the coyote poem as requested by coyote:

a past reference in

verse

that fails

utterly

        Road Runner, the coyote's after you.

               Road Runner, if he catches you you're through.

“that song, if you call it such,”

said coyote,

one eye watching the

ticker tape,

waiting for a ship

to come in,

“wants for intelligent rhymes,

a meter that doesnt feel

like the kind of wagon an

okie would build

just to get drunk in

and crash,” said coyote.

(coyote laughing)

coyote

said, “this ditty

shows a real lack

of knowledge.”

coyote said,

“i hate this song. ugggh.

it makes me want to scream.”

coyote wears glasses that

make everything

move

and says

“pop music, pope music,

poop music.”

coyote likes to listen to

the nuthatches and monk

trade licks.

its also true

coyote

is sometimes so lonesome

yes, coyote cries.

coyote impersonates

smokey r.,

spins on his

heel – winks.

wags his well-groomed

tail

coyote says, “really,
i'm sad.”

and now, coyote poem, proper

1

coyote

on the question of

where to dig one's den

said, “i fall

strongly

into the category of them

who say

if its draws you,

follow -

like the earth follows

the sun...”

coyote said

“dig your den

at home” and

then

coyote had to

run.

2

after dark,

when its only

headlights and

taillights and

those bright yellow

eyes

coyote,

puzzled,

head tilted,

tongue out

- “you sure

kill a lot of

rabbits.”

coyote

looked over and

said

“your freeways are

why she dont love

you

anymore.”

“and that,” said

coyote, “ain't

all.”

3

coyote on edge,

distracted,

looking over shoulder,

looking back, “can't you

think of something

good to say?”

4

coyote pissing

on the vinyl siding, cold fall

night, steam rising,

owl screeching

said, “there's enough in the

grocery store to last

me 300 years -

once you guys are

out of the

way.”

5

coyote's wet tongue,

licking - “wake up,

wake up -

i was only

joking,”

coyote kind of worried,

kind of sorry –

cant stop laughing.

“oh brother,” coyote

said, “i didnt

really mean

shoot

yourself.”

6

coyote under the stars

asked, “who doesn't

like old cheese? - who

doesn't want

a few extra

mice in the cupboard?”

meteors shooting

from the back of

coyote's head and

coyote said,

“ssshh! these new jokes

are sleeping.”