Wholly unbroken The line between the time You told me all your stories To now I write them out Though not mine to tell Story keeper, holding closely Treasuring artwork on cigarette packets In New Orleans Erecting tents on byways of Canada Evading bears A sense of place is important Venturing out beyond all civilisation Loved ones' names in acknowledgements On all the field papers I fade and fall rather than reach for such stardom The earth and all its impact Wakes me from timestamped memories With beers in gaudy bars Canadian moosehead overlooking That look, watching waiting, startled - Only to flee into the wilderness again