weeks passed

he was shown to a room
food was always on the table

in the distance he heard the faint hammering
but never believed it

the woman returned

dressed in deerskin
told him that if he wished to leave
he could

one eye nodded
and told her how much he did not understand

she took him to one of the many doors
opened it
showed him in

in the half light
he saw shelves of green books

and rows of tables

one eye had seen books before
but these had no writing

the woman invited him to sit
opened a book already on the table
took one eye's hand
and let him feel
the bumps and blisters

this is our way

one eye's fingers felt language for the first time

he began to understand