Alexander Theroux
A nose he had on him,
sniffing the bark of twigs,
sitting alone in the forest
listening to the dry creak
of hardwoods in the fall
and, chewy as any figs,
sampling the tangy tastes
of lichen like a moose,
especially black stone flower
and tiny fans of rock tripe—
umbilicaria—with pine nuts
he efficiently put to use
by brewing a bracing tea,
squatting like a coureur de bois.
He enjoyed reindeer lichen,
cold-hardy, by taking it dry,
crushing and then boiling it,
like leaves of Ceylon regular,
soaking it in water until soft.
eating it mixed with berries,
fish eggs, or lard. (He used it
also as diarrhea cure for lichen
gas, blessing its juice and
the many ways Nature varies!)