Houses

We are creatures of habit
and habitat. Meaning

point out four corners to border
my life and I shall have a house,

to confine all the inhabiting
I shall do inside. Meaning

I am wild.
Meaning I am a bear

with hunger and this morning my
merciless mouth opens to greet fish

welcome, after a daily dip in the river.
Then I rise, shake this body dry, all this

fur. Then I walk around the forest for fresh
air, meditation, the occasional human,

circle the area thrice and satisfied
that no fire nor hunter will take me

I head back to the cave and close
my eyes. Then it is dark, usually

but sometimes I see a cage as large
as the world and inside I am happy

prancing under and under a burning sun.
Sometimes I go beyond the forest to places

I will never see, walk around a city
or ride a cab instead, order coffee.

Sometimes I visit another planet, but
now I see fish from this morning visiting

me. They are slipping past my throat
into my belly. They are saying thank you,

we were tired of swimming
in the cold. I am saying

you are welcome. Now rest.
Meaning point out the four corners

of my grave and when I die, I shall
not stretch my limbs out too wide.