E I G H T

They scuttled in
From directions
Of every known extent,

And even some
From way beyond
The edges of events.

With frothing mouths,
And fixed accounts,
Of what they had received;

Reported sights
From many heights,
Of giants in the trees.

Out seeking trade
Beyond the lanes
Of regular transactions,

With unknown gifts
And promises
Of wealth beyond attraction.

And word was caught
Of what they sought,
In turn for patronage:

A little time,
An open mind,
A station on the edge.

But no one had
Word of his dad,
As most folk set for staking,

Appearing to
Be of the view
That one less claim was vacant.

So gathering
His strength again
Our lad approached the elders,

Who’d run around
Their council mound
Discussing what to render.

For time was dear
As trade appeared
To have been set aside,

And more than this
Their exclusive
Arrangements compromised.

And feelings rose,
With vocal woes,
And tempers followed suit,

‘Til loosing sight
Of countless fights
A foreman stamped his boot:

“All listen clear,
My comrades’ dear,
And ease thy strained involvement,

There’s much to plan
And understand
If we’re to remain solvent.

Now first of all
We must recall
All members of our guild,

From every wood
And neighborhood
And lowly bowered field.

And tell them firm
What we have learned,
Of giants undercutting,

Then send them back
To every track
Of land to be rebutting.

“Then secondly
We must proceed
To find last evening’s giants,

And question them
About their aims,
Until they are compliant.

And furthermore
Get there before
Incursions are complete,

And nothing’s left
To bargain with
Beneath the giants’ feet.”

Then looking passed
The throng amassed
His gaze fell on our boy,

And beckoning
Him to the ring
Said “You’ll be our envoy.

“For was it not
Your kinsman caught
That first approach of promise,

That led him here
And made him steer
Well on beyond the forest.

And so it is
That by the rise
Of morning light you’ll follow,

Your father’s trail
Until you’ve hailed
Him in the deepest hollow.”