Tracker

Head bowed and back bow-bent, 

He follows smells so slight, some scarce and dainty scent

Until defined, the imprint of time's tiniest creature.

No feature, save leaves and mud trail rent by forest floor foraging;

Mere meager mouse teasing hungry hoot owls.

Onward tracker tracks toward bigger, braver game,

Sniffing stillness, staleness stained moist moss, 

Until denied, the impish imprint of time's timidest creature.

No feature, save hoof hole and white tail flight flagging fright bounding;

Freckled forest fawn fleeing strange shadow sounds.

Onward tracker tracks toward bigger, braver game,

Snooping holes and haunting territorial tree lines,

Until designed, the imprint of time's tamest creature.

No feature, save padded paw print and claw bent on twilight twig breaking;

Howling hope's hound hunting his missing master.

Onward tracker tracks toward bigger, braver game,

Sensing seasons sheered by bark scratch shavings,

Until defied, the imprint of time's toughest creature.

No feature, save tree stripped and sapling split by muzzle rousted rooting;

Brawny brown bear lumbering lazily aloud.

Onward tracker tracks toward bigger, braver game

That seeks shadowed shelters from weather's cruelty,

Until devised, the imprint of time's thinkingest creature.

No feature, save smoldering coals and steaming soles, abandoned in waste's haste;

Mindless mad man amidst and against his nature.

Onward tracker tracks toward bigger, braver game,

Sorting, shifting torn countryside fenced and civilized,

Until despised, the imprint of time's terriblest creature.

No feature, save eaten earth, stolen shade and seething streams of invasive ingenuity;

Maniacal manmade machines, tearing turrets 'cross tracker's tracks.

-P.S. Colley

March 1993

Rev. Nov. 2024

Songs of Appalachia