Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie’s Substack Audio
Coyote Solstice
7
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-2:21

Coyote Solstice

A poem
7


Our kind neighbor saw a coyote on our block.

Yeesh, Coyote, you trickster! Revealing

yourself to a white woman but hiding

from our house full of Indians—jealous

Indians! I want to watch Coyote stealing

Christmas packages from our porch.

Yeah, yeah, Coyote, all you’re gonna find

in those packages is books. Hey, Coyote,

this trick’s on you! You might end up

with a slim volume of contemporary poetry!

And who wants that? Hahahahahaahahaha!

But, hey, Coyote, this day with the longest

night belongs to you. Our Indian house

celebrates solstice with a Mexican feast.

If you like, stop by. We’ll save you a plate.

Tell us that old story about the moon breaking

your trickster heart. Then you can sigh and fart.

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