it happened at the place of the singing grandfathers
in the fullness of the seventh moon
it happened like this
a young man entered the forest, alone
no food in his belly, no warmth in his heart
for he was dying, he had been hunted
with poisoned arrow
one, two, three, four times he had been shot
with poisoned arrow
for he had been hunted, and he was dying
and when he lay himself down
in the water
and the huntress came to claim him
he did not cry out
when she pulled her long knife
he did not struggle
when she made the first cut
but he did begin to sing
as she did her work
in the water
at the place of the singing grandfathers
in the fullness of the seventh moon
he sang like this
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
the huntress was pleased with his song
as she cut his body open
and carried the meat, bones, hide, and
singing-head of him back to her camp
as she cooked his flesh for dinner
he sang
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
as she lay down to sleep
he sang
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
as she entered the dreamgate
he sang
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
in her dreaming
she became a young deer
and the song, a tall and strong hunter
with bow in hand
and still he sang
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
she ran from him
but not so far, so she could still hear
his song. He came close, close
arrow raised now
and she would run
it happened like this
many times
a slow dance, a courted knowing
a flowing understanding
between Human and Deer
hunter and hunted
at the place of the singing grandfathers
in the fullness of the seventh moon
and when she finally gave herself
to the faithful hunter
this is what she said
you who sing the song of my dreaming heart
you who have tracked my wanderings
you who have known the lady of the water
you who have received my poisoned arrows
one, two, three, four times
you who have given the fullness of your life and death
in the water
at the place of the singing grandfathers
in the fullness of the seventh moon
i take you as my lover, my hunter, my husband
to tend my body, to know my ways
to protect and care for me and my people
as you would your own
my flesh, my heart, my bones, are yours
hold them in reverence
and you will be a great hunter
your people will always have meat
as she took his arrow into her
soft body, he wept
as he sang to her
mountain daughter, water lover
you’ve hunted well, you’ve claimed my soul
this is how the Deer people and the Human people
came to be married
this is the old agreement between the hunter
and the hunted
this is how you must go to the forest
empty, wounded, shot with poisoned arrow
calling in the huntress
with your songs of grief and praise
giving yourself fully
to the wild edge of longing
in the water
at the place of the singing grandfathers
in the fullness of the seventh moon
