When Matthew moved in bears went home –
went home through creeks,
through deep, steep, wet-feet creeks.
Walking, stalking, talking bears,
a winding line of climbing bears
went home up hills —
up wind-chilled, tree-filled hills,
went home through trees,
through leaning, greening, screening trees.
Grumbling, mumbling, stumbling bears,
stern, concerned, returning bears
went home to dens.
To dusty, hushed and friendly dens,
back home to cubs.
To tumbling, fumbling, clumsy cubs
to pairs of hairy, hungry cubs
who wait to hear
from  foot-sore, raw-pawed, parent bears
from old, involved and caring bears,
hair-raising tales
of bold, revolving, daring bears —
a team of swung-from-ceiling bears
five winding, chiming, wheeling bears,
five smiling, kind, appealing bears,
whose moving, bear-shaped shadows share
the light that falls on nursery walls
when Matthew’s home.