Cain Pence is a Minneapolis based writer. Mr. Pence is a graduate of
Georgetown University and has traveled extensively throughout all 50
states. Mr. Pence’s writings have appeared in numerous publications and he
has published many poems. Mr. Pence can be reached at caino@cainpence.com.
The Hunt
By Cain Pence
Ritual as old as time, bond of ancient man
Link to past ancestors, food for clan
Rite of passage, male initiation
Passed down from all previous generations
Feat of courage, act of daring
Glory to the hunter, joy in sharing
Sustains life, provides clothes, nourishes with meat
Hides for warmth, bones for tools, oil and fat for heat
Whale in the Artic, buffalo from the Great Plains
Deer, zebra, rabbit, elk, lion erase the hunger pains
Guides the tribe and nourishes the home
Working for the group is better than starving alone
Trains young men and teaches patience
Rewards risk and fosters anticipation
Rock, club, spear, arrow, dart, gun
During summer, through winter, in rain, under sun
From a forest in Germany to a jungle in Africa
From the woods of Siberia to the Outback of Australia
The hunt teaches teamwork, the hunt provides thrill
The hunt protects territory, the hunt requires skill
The hunt creates culture, the hunt tames the wild
The hunt maintains tradition, the hunt feeds the child
The hunt is ancient, the hunt is human
The hunt provides for families, the hunt inspires man
