Antlers from Cascadia by Noe Venable

Massive and strange
was the beast in the streetlamp
trembling and grand
in a halo of light
there in his eyes was the look of surprise
of a wandering king
with a face long forgotten

Where will he go
when the last night star has faded
chased from your gardens and into the hills
Why has he come? Will he come back again
when the last tree’s been felled
when the last hill’s been taken?

I did weep to see him so
I would kiss him
would go with him
to shiver when the cold winds blow
follow him where he would go
where, where did he—
follow him where he would go

Father, brother oh,
where did you go

Daughter, I don’t know
to the sea, or through the snow

How will I know?

• Ecto
• Folk
• Progressive
• chamber folk
• San Francisco