Knowing

We know the wind on the sea
and what it tells
we know soil, silt, sand,
the singing spells
of shape-shifters.

When the hen crowed like a cock
and dog lay down with cat
we knew these omens of ill-luck.

Next sunrise, the Eagle flag
rose over the hill,
horses and foot soldiers
set up camp, plundered
ash and elder for their fires.

We mixed pigments,
painted our skin battle-blue,
twined beads and feathers
into our hair, chanted
till the full fall of night:

thought is swifter than wind
truth is clearer than water