in a dream
he came to her as a bear:
she was afraid at first,
then she looked in his eyes
and she opened herself to him.
he smothered her in his musky fur:
the fragrance of wet oak leaves,
of mushrooms,
of pine sap,
of pink clover and purple thistle,
of Queen Anne's Lace,
of wildflowers without names,
of wild honey,
of blackberries,
of the sifted sunlight speckled with buzzing,
of the wind heavy with clouds,
of ten thousand quivering green things,
and the soil moist with dew
he was careful not to scratch her
with his clumsy black claws,
as she tangled her fingers
in his matted coat,
their grunts and growls
gave voice to their pleasure
under a bright Ursa Major.