Deer skull III

hooves thrashing through the creek

In his youth he would run

with a mouthful of green

trying not to choke on his bounty,

get stung by bees,

hooves thrashing through the creek

---

Run run run

they’ve got a shotgun

You’ve got some plants

you’re no match for that man

who dresses like leaves

buried in mud up to his knees

---

Gone in the back

of a suburban forest

Mounted on the wall

of the man who yelled at me

as a child

for stepping on his synthetic lawn

---

But that would happen later

You made it out this time

Fell into the creek

leaves covering you like kelp

fish pass by

watch the strange

four legged creature

---

breaking the surface

Because your lungs couldn’t take it anymore

And hunter is gone

rifle is gone

no sound of bullets

no silver ricochetting

off the trees

You must find a new pile of leaves

a forest at dawn with a deer hunt by Peter Paul Rubens

this is the final installment of the deer skull series. I only continued it because comments wanted it! So glad I did! All this from seeing a deer skull in my neighbors yard. I think and hope it will be a fitting way to remember that deers life. RIP wild creature of the forest.

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