The Scentsongs
from a thing I wrote and not did finish
Scentsong One
Glide
in the darkness, glide in close quarters, Slip
through our structure, slide in back waters. Arch
you, and bristle, and play rough and tumble! Come,
flow and swim, come and kiss Mother Rumple! Breathe
in the air, my pretty little pups, And
send me your scentsong, all! Feel
you the pattern, my pretty little pups? Tell
me, are you a quoll? But
tell me your pleasure, my pretty little Peck Come
and commiserate! And
climb on my back, my darling little Peck— When
will you find you a mate? With
his belly daubed up and his nose sandy-fresh His
coat slipp’ry smooth and with corpulent flesh, His
feet with such rhythm, the envious moon Could
use them to pound out a tune: Trot,
will ye trot, till the grasses run out, Keep
at it until you fall! For
the scorpions there haven’t tails nor shells, And
aren’t you the happy quoll? Oh,
but leave me in peace, my pretty little Pugnose! My,
but your glands do grate! You
smell so ripe, my pretty little Pugnose, When
will you find you a mate? Take
a backwards walk, and you needn’t balk When
he peers in between your legs— While
your nose be flat, who can dwell on that When
he’s dining on quail’s eggs? And
your skim runs sleek, and your leap is fierce, And
your hunting is best of all. And
you’ll feed him rabbits and wallabies plump— Be
proud you were born a quoll! And
quiet you down, my queer little Quiver! What
do you venerate? Why
are you scared of every last thing When
someday you’ll have you a mate? With
his pinpoint eyes and his chubby tail, He’ll
take you to places far. He’ll
love you though, even if you’d go Anywhere
but the place you are! And
he’ll calm you down, and he’ll wile you up And
he’ll make you forget your fears. And
he’ll give you so many pups that you’ll Be
a mother for seven years! But
now let me rest, my rife little Roller, Nighttime
is growing late. And
soon you’ll be roving, my rife little Roller, Far
for to find your mate! And
she’ll be alert, and she’ll smell like dew, And
her fur will be short and bright. And
she’ll give you a nudge with her little nose, And
you’ll chase her for half the night. And
you’ll dare not rest 'il you're at her nest And
you’ll lean to her silent call! And
for what comes then in her thatched-up den— Thank
Earth you were made a quoll! So
goes the scentsong, all my pups, And
what did your nose take in? Tell
Mother Rumple all you felt, For
from all the splendid things you’ve smelt, The
next song will soon begin.
Glide in the darkness, glide in close quarters,
Slip through our edifice, slide in back waters.
Arch you, and bristle, and sniff for the fighters!
Dodge them, and curse them, the black-hairy blighters!
Stand now outside, brood, this scentsong is farther
Than any before, like the wide northern water
That strikes on the shore, with a sullen vibration
That pierces the night, with its grim mastication
That tips us to fright,
Or to fight—
Where are you going, my savage little children?
What is your fancied course?
Are you so strong to go your own way
Leaving without remorse?
Can’t you smell something out there, creeping
And prowling the whole night through?
Don’t you know no matter how big you get
There’s always one bigger than you?
Somewhere, my Roller, my Pugnose, my Peck,
A dozen have gone before.
A dozen have sprung from my loving pouch
To dance on the wild earth’s floor.
And somewhere, my yearlings are singing like me
And may have a better song.
And somewhere, their children are sniffing the night
And dreaming of growing strong.
And somewhere, the devils have taken a prize—
A forester kangaroo.
And everywhere now, the song resounds
It even resounds in you!
What are we, runners?
Scavengers, killers?
Followers, skulkers,
Lingerers, millers?
Strikers, sensors,
Thinkers, takers,
Strugglers, stragglers,
Fighters, fakers?
We may not smell it, but there lies meat
More than the devils’ fill.
Children, if you would go alone
Ready to flee your warm, sweet home
Ready to run and thrive and roam
Do with me one last thing!
Steal the meat from the devils’ feet
And
run with it, then, and sing!