Place of the Wolves - Dave Skene

Dave Skene is a Metis of Scottish, French, Menominee and Cree decent.  Dave is one of the Co-Founders of Global Youth Network an international organization working to educate and mobilize young people towards making positive change in their world. He served as the Executive Director for Global Youth Network from 1995-2010. He recently resigned from that position to work with Global Youth as their Indigenous Program Coordinator. Dave has lead numerous teams of Canadian youth on international volunteer and education projects. He has taught on justice and community development across Canada and Internationally. At present Dave is developing youth programs in Kenya, Brazil, Korea, and several First Nations communities in British Columbia. No matter what Dave puts his hand to he is first of all a youth worker, supporting youth to discover how they can create a more just society. He also been a member of the YWAM Canadian Leadership team since 1996. Dave has been married to Liz Becker for 25 years and right now they make their home in Duncan British Columbia.

This is a poem I wrote in Mexico city I believe in the mid 90’s. I was in an area in the city called Coyoacan or “Place of the Wolves”.  It was here that Hernan Cortes and the Spanish set up their head quarters for the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. It is now a gathering place for artists and university students.

Place of the Wolves

place of the wolves
old beyond your years
your ugliness has become the thorn that pricks the conscience of the human heart
the rose
flower of greed
hides the truth of your toothless smile