The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead

Breughel's Hunters (During the Pandemic), by Steve Noyes

6/14/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hunters in the Snow, by Pieter Bruegel (Netherlands) 1565

Breughel's Hunters (During the Pandemic)

The hunters come. Come slowly,
hunched, through the last copse
of black tree-trunks, from cold,
suspended being, black their hoods,
black their leggings, black their dogs,
too fagged to yap, their snouts down.
They are on the outskirts of town.
They trudge along, with hanging bags
of shot and only one fox carcass.
They shoulder the spears that they used
as poles. The snow is less deep here.
They are focused, tired and cold.
They have been away a while.
They still have a long ways to go.

They still have a long ways to go.
They lean into each step. They pause
to catch their breath. On a branch,
a jaunty crow braves a silhouette.
They don’t care anymore. Ahead,
a magpie soars. Can’t catch me,
losers. The hunters don’t notice this,
or that their patron saint, on the Inn’s sign,
dangles by one link. Nearby, peasants
singe the bristles off a pig, but don’t say
“You’re cold. Come join our lively fire.”
There is no hand-warming scene.
Impatience loosens the hunters’ tight group.
They still have a long ways to go.

They still have a long ways to go,
and that is why, deep in the wood,
they stopped in the icy air, nodded,
a common sign to turn around,
head back. They had been away
long enough, the hunt discouraging,
the dogs ill-tempered. They barked
when they shouldn’t, whimpered
when scolded. The hunters look down
on the brick town, home. The steeple
rises above snow-rounded roofs.
A man bears a load across a bridge.
Their places are against the far crags.
They still have a long ways to go.

They still have a long ways to go.
The fox-flesh will break up the dull
meals of porridge and potatoes.
Far below, on the frozen ponds,
folks slide and skate. Parents laugh
at a baby on his bum. Kids link hands
in happy chains. More join the fun.
Someone falls down. Such carryings-on.
It is all as they will remember it
at home, as they dump the fox
in the cold-hatch, work off boots,
shoo dogs from the fire, and slump
into the short nap they look forward to.
They still have a long ways to go.

Steve Noyes

Steve Noyes is a Canadian writer living in Sheffield, UK. His most recent poetry collections are 
Rainbow Stage-Manchuria (Oolichan Books, 2011) and small data (Frog Hollow Press, 2014.) A recent poem appeared on the online magazine The the. More info on Steve's writing is at www.stevenoyes.com.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture
    Current Prompt
    COOKIES/PRIVACY
    This site uses cookies to deliver your best navigation experience this time and next. Continuing here means you consent to cookies. Thank you.
    Join us on Facebook:
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Lorette C. Luzajic theekphrasticreview@gmail.com 

  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead