The elk stands alone

Back in December a friend of mine had posted a photograph on her Facebook page of some elk that had been frequently visiting the area around her parents home. Another friend posted this poem in the comments. It's beautiful and I couldn't resist sharing. The same elk have visited many different friend's homesteads this past year and I'm sure those friends will enjoy reading this as much as I did.

Antlers encircling the misted moon

Dark king of winter and the night

The elk stands alone

In the emptiness

Of the unknown

Between time that has gone

And time that’s yet to be.

Within his soul, gleams the vision

Of the mystical one

Who glides over glades of stars and through the sky-gate

On clear warm arctic nights

The one whose breath is the falling snow

Whose shining head is the moon

Whose eyes are the fire within the northern lights

The one whose magic hooves slip silently unseen

Between

Time’s call and chiming echo.

The elk stands alone.

And within his eyes the bright

Shadow of eternity

Sheds peace. And all the while the fir trees wait

And grow

Silver and still, in the darkness.

~ Author Unknown



(I have done some Google searches and have not been able to track down who originally wrote this poem. If anyone has that information I'd love to credit the author.)