'Coyote' Summary

In the heart of the untamed American West, where the sun casts long shadows across the rugged landscape and the wind whispers secrets through the sagebrush, Bret Harte's evocative poem "Coyote" emerges as a captivating tribute to the enigmatic creature that roams the wild.

With its piercing eyes, cunning gait, and a presence that seems to blend seamlessly into the wilderness, the coyote becomes a symbol of resilience and independence, a creature that has adapted to the harsh realities of the frontier. Harte's masterful use of language paints a vivid portrait of the coyote's solitary existence, its haunting yelps echoing through the vast expanses of the land.

The poem opens with the coyote emerging from the twilight, a liminal space between day and night, symbolizing the creature's ability to navigate both the seen and unseen worlds. Harte's description of the coyote as "A four-footed friar in orders of gray" evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, hinting at the creature's dual nature, both wild and wise.

As the poem progresses, Harte introduces the character of Carlo, an old dog who embodies the domesticated world, a stark contrast to the coyote's untamed spirit. Carlo's owner urges him to seek out the coyote, suggesting a desire to tame the wild, to bring it under human control. However, the coyote remains elusive, its presence felt but never fully grasped, a reminder of the untamed spirit that refuses to be contained.

Harte's use of imagery and symbolism throughout the poem underscores the coyote's significance as a symbol of the American West. The creature's long, loping gait mirrors the vastness of the landscape, while its piercing yelps echo the call of the wilderness, a reminder of the raw, untamed spirit that defines the region.

In the final lines of the poem, Harte reaffirms the coyote's enduring presence, declaring it to be "A thoroughly vagabond outcast in gray," a creature that defies categorization, existing outside the boundaries of human society. The coyote's continued presence serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the wild, of respecting the untamed spirit that lies at the heart of the American West.