Mountain
Lion
During the summer of 1998, after
a visit to Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico,
I became intensely interested in
Zuni fetish carvings.
Although the carvings the Zunis
make and sell
are not ceremonially blessed, for
me they are beautiful art
with profound spiritual meaning.
Here is one of many poems inspired
by such carvings;
the mountain lion, done in
traditional
style with the tail on its back,
was carved by Anderson Weahkee,
a member of one of the most
prominent families at Zuni who make
fetish carvings.
"Mountain Lion" is included in my
book,
The
Alchemy of Opposites
(St. John, KS: Chiron
Review Press, 2000).
Mountain Lion
Your defects make you complete.
I see the shaping instrument,
the wheel that followed the dark green
serpentine lines, parallel, deep green
in black, your neck almost half
the phallus of your length.
Tell-tale traces of polishing compound
declare the maker's deft hand,
Zen-like heed,
accidental gouge from the right-hand
side of your mouth,
the middle right claw.
The point on your left side
matches the point of the shell
arrowhead, yellow for North,
tied with powerful sinew,
turquoise & coral--your gift.
Your reach points the way,
tail parallel on top, a fearful
mystery, your grin, loyal
to my constitution, my longest,
most heavy, spirit animal of the North.
Copyright © 2000 Clifton Snider
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Page last revised: 22 August 2009