From a large hump of fur in the dark corner
A large flat drum is played.
A sleepy tempo with deep resonance
Accompanies the non-verbal guttural humming.
The cave walls flicker to the small flame
Revealing the seven small furry sleeping humps
Laying in stillness around the fire.
The drum and the song have taken them tonight.
A lullaby of maybe the earliest form
To soothe and heal through pure stillness
To protect and survive Winter
To keep the chill and winds away
To manifest dreams that will come in Spring.
This is my journey
— Nate Long “Owl”
Graphite with digital manipulation