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The Deer
- Wesleyan University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
71 THEDEER aretentative.Ofcourse.Tobeananimal istowatch.Istothink abouteatingallthetime.Iwatchthem besowatchful.Mywindow takesthemonebyonethroughtrees winterstripsdown toafewspecies. WhenIsawthedeer, Iwasbeginningtotype,not itcametome,fullof:Imadethis. Buttwoorthreeweresmallerthantheothers. Andallsothin, eachforgettingforamoment,aheadturned ordowntotheground.Thentherush tocatchup.Maybe amotheramongthem. I’mhopelessaboutkinship,whichcousin,whichway thebloodlinehollowsoutalife andconnectsusback toapindroppedonceinafield orinwoodslikethese. Thepoemtobetyped— Iforgotthewindow’sjob istodisappear.Thedeer, justthere,drawn byaleafortwolefttotheweather,abudinits vaguedreamofsomefuture— mid-sentence.Stop. They’regone.Becausebeauty’s notgenerous,isn’tanything butitspassage. ...