Roll Call - William Stafford

[Larry Robinson]

Roll Call

Red wolf came, and passenger Pigeon,
and Dodo Bird, all the gone or endangered
came and crowded around in a circle,
the Bison, the Irish Elk waited
silent, the Great White Bear fluid and strong,
sliding from the sea, streaming and creeping
into the gathering darkness, nose down
bowing to earth its tapered head,
where the Black-footed Ferret, paws folded,
stood in the center surveying the multitude
and spoke for us all:  “Dearly beloved,” it said.


	- William Stafford