Bison – What The Bison Saw

Bison

What The Bison Saw

What the Bison saw
was a universe of grass
reckless with abandon
wildly undulating
while capitulating to the fury of the wind

What the Bison saw
was fire in the sky
raking, arachnid-like
arcing bolts that lit the inky night
and set the prairie afire

What the Bison saw
were frozen winter 'scapes
a sea of rimy fur
and vast clouds of cottony breath

What the Bison saw
were packs of Great Plains Wolves
that choreographed strategic onslaughts
on the fold
they took both young and infirm

What the Bison saw
were indigenous people
who drove the panic-stricken herd
to death
over treacherous cliffs

What the Bison saw
were iron trails
stretching far across the prairie's face
avenues for smoke-belching monsters
that spoke of thunder and lead

What the Bison saw
was a landscape of death
tongueless, hideless carcasses
scattered liberally to the horizon

What the Bison saw
was a situation of near extinction
yet, from a small group
their numbers grew
but never like they were ... that is what the Bison sees

~ Poem and Bison capture, What The Bison Saw © Jerry L. Ferrara