… from beginning-to-end design

Roll Call

Red Wolf came, and Passenger Pigeon,

the Dodo Bird, all the gone or endangered

came and crowded around in a circle, the Bison, the Irish Elk, waited

silent, the Great White Bear, fluid and strong,

sliding from the sea, streaming and creeping

 in the gathering darkness, nose down, bowing to earth

 its tapered head, where the Black-footed Ferret, paws folded,

 stood in the center surveying the multitude

 and spoke for us all: “Dearly beloved,” it said.