On the cave wall, the shaman
Bison-skinned, bear-clawed
A headdress of antlers
In his right arm, a cudgel raised
Shape-changer, Lord of the Hunt,
Sorcery in the cave dark
Why risk peril to delve so deep?
What spirits are summoned in the shadows?
What senses transform?
Entranced to see through bestial eyes
Herds running, arrowheads poised, senses quickening
Breath, heaving, pulse bounding, nostrils flaring
The weight of antlers, the bulky texture
Of hide and fur, fleeing from the hunters,
Mastering fear, preserving life by instinct,
Evasive maneuvers - The Great Chase
The life of the tribe depends on the beast’s demise
A painting on a cave wall
Through color, shape and design
Daub, brushstroke, sleight of hand
Blood and fat of the hunted
Blended with the pigments
The soul returned to the womb of earth
Beckoning, to become one in spirit
With the essence of creation
This first art was an act of magic
Is it always so?