Poem #10: Deer Stalker

After biking to the intersection reconstruction, I headed over to catch the Millennium Trail to go back home, and as I rounded a 120 degree turn through the old apple orchard area, I came across this deer crossing in the trail. He stopped and watched me and then began heading down the trail towards me, finally stopping when he was just 10 feet away.



He was most curious about me and we just watched one another for a few delightful minutes until a jogger came by and the deer moved off the trail, watched the runner pass, and then a minute later left to continue browsing the tall prairie grasses.




This encounter reminded me of a similar meeting in Deer Grove Forest Preserve seven years ago while I was hiking there -- an event which gave birth to the following poem.

Deer Stalker

She stalked me through her forest
that torrid summer day
as I trod the timeless trail.

I felt no fear of her
as she curiously
emulated my trek’s path.
Behind a tree I hid --
and she found me.
Around a bend I darted --
and she found me.
Down a rise I scampered --
and she found me,
elongated slender brown neck
craning in search of
her elusive prey,
me, the trespasser,
the treader of her turf and
abrader of her abode.

‘Twas all in fun, with no harm done,
but what if she (not curiously)
had wanted me as game trophy?
Had stalked me round her stomping ground,
then shot me dead in chest or head
or in my heart for sport or lark?
With tables turned, I think I’ve earned
a whole new view on venison stew.
copyright 2000 by Chuck Morlock