105 Comments
User's avatar
K Michael Wiley's avatar

HWAET?

Expand full comment
Judy Wagner's avatar

In our NH woods, we hear coyotes more often than see them. I envision a large pack, young and old, running rapidly as their musical howling traces a curve through the darkness. They do seem to howl more when there is a full moon. I bring in the dogs, but sometimes I stand outside and howl back to them. Who knows who is God's trickster here?!

Expand full comment
Andrew Paul Koole's avatar

Mmm... so good. Side question: how do you feel about non-indigenous people referring to the coyote/trickster god motif in fiction? Is it something we should keep our hands off of, or are you more a "free reign" guy?

Expand full comment
Anne Lichtenwalner's avatar

Love it Love it Love it. Especially how one must back up confusedly in reaction to the steely stare of the empowered coyote. And the surly pumas, fuming... That you stopped to stare at the coyote, who then stared you down: you were not being hunted, just being answered, right?

Expand full comment
T Benedict's avatar

"Trickster God" is true to the coyote as I learned with many encounters while living in Arizona. Wiley was apt.

Expand full comment
Bernie Mortensen's avatar

I gave you the raven who gave you the sun. And the coyote to teach you lessons. Ah. The bears and wolves, whales and ocean is talking. Will you take their instruction?

Expand full comment
Bernie Mortensen's avatar

As the raven is laughing.

Expand full comment
Craig Seasholes's avatar

Farting 12 times? I get the directionality and intention, but a dozen? Even high strung horses seem to top out at 8 or so. Do you have superpowers yet unknown to the general public beyond those that created this wonderful story? Somehow reminds me of something ThunderBoy might have claimed.

Expand full comment
🐝 Miller's avatar

How do you know for certain that coyote isn't a She ? Have you ever seen videos of Weave and the cat she visits and plays with regularly? Just asking

Expand full comment
Emily's avatar

Tiny pumas sulking and watchful on window sills.

Expand full comment
Jeff Nicholas's avatar

Wow I loved this. Such an insightful and fun poem. I was on a morning walk, so light out, and saw a coyote cross the street in front of me. Luckily, the car on the street stopped. We looked at each other as the coyote crossed the road, and then went on our ways.

Expand full comment
Gretchen Dykstra's avatar

Apparently so. They estimate 100 in SF.

Expand full comment
Gina Nelson's avatar

I see coyotes all the time in LA, even in the middle of the day, hanging out in someone's front yard. You are right; they aren't very afraid of us, even though people always warn others on social media about them. At night, I see groups of them together.

Expand full comment
steve huffman's avatar

I, like my brother coyote, laugh at you. With you. Because of you.

Expand full comment
Renée  Roehl's avatar

♥️🔮⭐️

Expand full comment
Antonia Baur's avatar

Played you reading this for my husband this morning when he returned from his Alanon meeting. 😄 We both love it. 😊

Expand full comment