Legend and Poem: Feeding the Beast

Artist JohnnyLee – wisdomstick.com

I heard this Cherokee legend at a talk I went to last night.   First the legend and then a poem I wrote tying in some of the themes. 

Two Wolves – A Cherokee Legend

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. 

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside each of us. 

One is Evil. It is filled with an unforgiving spirit and is prone to anger, hatred, bitterness, envy and greed. 

The other is Good. It is full of peace, love, kindness, empathy, generosity and forgiveness." 

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" 

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Feeding the Beast 

Red hot coals

for the angry beast

in me,

I shovel, I stoke,

I keep the flames alive,

I feed the beast

with searing heat,

seeing not the

gentle stream so near,

seeing not its peaceful path

around the rocks,

my task is clear,

FEED THE BEAST,

yet evermore it

asks for more,

and more,

until my arms grow weak,

I kneel by the shore

and weep,

the cooling water,

my cleansing tears,

 wash over me,

run through me,

quenching my thirst,

quelling the flames,

the beast cries out

with a mighty roar,

“I’ll hate no more.”

and then it's

gone

forevermore.