On Manitoulin Island, the speaker feeds gulls, chipmunks, rabbits, and geese, watching them closely—a gull waiting on a rock, chipmunks approaching chairs, rabbits snuffling shyly nearby. There is clear delight in being noticed and needed by these wild creatures. But the speaker also worries: feeding geese may make them too trusting of hunters. Then the focus widens. Humans call animals “our pets” because we like them to turn to us, yet the speaker insists we share rock, fir, shallows, sand, and air with them. Both are only brief visitors. Human thought, however, uproots us from that shared earth-fed state, and we harm the planet’s fragile life. Feeding becomes a small, apologetic gesture—an attempt to undo “centuries of guns.” The speaker wonders whether the animals know or can forgive. The mood is tender, attentive, and quietly heavy with guilt.
On Manitoulin Island — Summary
we feed the animals great grey-white screaming gulls one sitting on a rock for hours waiting he gets fed first
quick chirping chipmunks with sharp stripes who come up to our chairs rabbits - somewhere - shy and snuffling green-necked geese over the bay knowing it could make them too trustful of hunters
for ourselves our pets we say liking them to turn to us to feel acknowledged needed share our origin share rock fir shallows sand one air with them
both - they and we - briefly visiting we imagining we're earth-fed bodies just like them uprooted by our thoughts on this polluted planet whose frail life we suck poison distort
do they know that? forgive? -
to undo centuries
of guns