When libraries could dance – a Nanabush tale

 When libraries could dance – a Nanabush tale

What if,

We take as given

That libraries

Most generally

Exhibit a marked preference to obey

The very basic laws of gravity.

 

But,

I have heard

There was a time

When Nanabush

Bored with tricks and troubles,

Juggling eyeballs

And dancing Grandmother Moon so long,

Her shoes grew holes and the start went to sleep.

 

Bored, he decided to dabble in dedicated troubles

And set to woo the most beautiful library

Said to contain all the knowledge ever known

She was the definition of everything sublime

So Nanabush was sure she was a worthy match for his most exalted self.

 

But all his loves

Past and present and future burned with anger

For that library was a lie, a slut and a homewrecker.

The lovers gathers

To dissect

To scheme

To plan

To know.

So each night in his ears they whispered a secret

Of women

Of slaves

Of queers

Of the “other”

And waited

Until Nanabush won his love.

 

But Nanabush after knowing library

Carnally

Wonderfully

And showering himself in her greatest thoughts

Nanabush grew suspicious

-Library he thought – keeps secrets

And his suspicions grew great

Beyond the boundaries of our island

He grew angry at Birch

Who told him of the harm library brought to the branched ones.

He grew angry at the Grandfathers who decried his love

As she gave knowledge to any person.

Who did not love before she shared.

He grew angry

And angry

And angry

Until he destroyed.

 

He always apologizes,

attempts to rebuild,

Tries to forget.

But that day

Before the destruction

We stood amazed as he dances his love one last time around the universe

Sometimes

If you walk with the green things

If they come to trust

They might show you a scrap from that once great library.

 

Pehiw Hibernation 2021