Bear Creek . . .
How many places are named for "bear..."?
Perhaps it is the adrenaline rush
.. that creates significance.
Way back in the single-shot days,
.. white folks grew respectful.
First-nations folk already had long memories,
.. of cave bears and grizz and brother black,
….. and knew the limitations of their pointy sticks.
Basques learned the ways of bear
.. on sheep bedding grounds
….. and lions in ambush.
There are no more terrible bears
.. or big bears... just little bears
….. and people who never learned
……. the ways of "brother bear."
--r.anderson
