Poetry Tuesday: I want to see some motherfucking elk

[coyotesuspect]

I dunno guys. This one always kinda reminded me of Sam and Dean. But which one's Paul Bunyan and which one's  Babe the Blue Ox?

Highway 101 Revisited

I want to drive with you
To se the world’s largest Roosevelt elk herd-
Off Highway 101, north of Eureka, CA

I want to see some motherfucking elk!
To make up for a lifetime of broken highway sign promises
Promising elk when there were none

Promising falling rocks when there were none
Promising gusty winds when there were none
Mile after mile there were none

I offer what the highway’s torrid pace cannot muster
I will take you there: to Elk Crossing
Where we will ride horses
because you loved horses
and I know of no other elk-viewing sanctuary that offers them

And we will ride down abandoned forest roads
Where we can stop
And make the world right for us again
One elk- one reconstituted promise- at a time

I want to drive with you
To see Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
Over at the Trees of Mystery RV Resort
Just south of Crescent City, CA

I will nuzzle the back of your neck
I will whisper-
You’ll always be my blue ox

Here on the state’s rocky edge
I am Paul Bunyan
You are a blue ox
And we don’t dwell on the meanings
Of silly metaphors

I want to drive with you
Through Possum Hollow, CA
Past the umpteenth roadside shop
Selling chainsaw-carved statuary
In the likeness of bears

You will look at me
As we drive by
And you will ask me,

“Does everyone in the Northwest carve bears?”

Along the coast’s crooked spine
Where the sequoias meet the sea
We will breathe the impossibly clean air
Through our robust lumberjack nostrils
(We will smell vaguely of horse)

Your tail will twitch
I will set down my axe
As we sit on a bluff overlooking the surf
You will lay your blue oxen head in my massive lap
And we will count the elk together

-Eitan Kadosh

Comments

[mckays-girl.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow - how very Sam and Dean.

I will nuzzle the back of your neck
I will whisper-
You’ll always be my blue ox
I can picture this: Dean saying those words while he nuzzles Sam's neck, scratchy motel sheets crumpled at their feet. And Sam will laugh, try to hide his snort in the musty smell of his pillow, while Dean makes promises against his skin.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

What a lovely image! <3

Rereading the poem, I think you're right. I definitely see it more as a Dean pov.

This stanza:
And we will ride down abandoned forest roads
Where we can stop
And make the world right for us again
One elk- one reconstituted promise- at a time
and this line:
To make up for a lifetime of broken highway sign promises
always stood out to me the most (and seem especially fitting given the events of last season). I could write a fic around that line.

[mckays-girl.livejournal.com]

It's like Dean is trying to make up for every broken promise. Not just his - every lie that has ever been told to Sam, everyone who has ever hurt him; Dean is trying to make up for a lifetime stolen. And the elk metaphor is perfect - so lighthearted to contrast with the pain.

I could write a fic around that line.
That would be all sorts of wonderful. If you want help with anything, let me know (cheer-leading, co-writing, beta duties)

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

I'll probably take you up on the cheerleading and beta-ing, actually. I wrote out about 800 words the other day, and I know where I want to go (several thousand words of roadtripping and schmoop ahead!), so I now just have to write it.

[mckays-girl.livejournal.com]

I am so look forward to this :D YAY