Side of the Road

Summary

A poignant encounter with an injured fawn on the roadside prompts reflection on human responsibility towards wildlife.

Abstract

The narrative describes a deeply moving experience where the author comes across a fawn injured by a car accident on the side of a road in the Northeast. The author expresses a profound love for deer, admiring their playfulness and grace, but also acknowledges the tragic consequences of human impact on their habitat. The poem captures the author's empathetic response to the suffering animal, sitting with it in its final moments, offering comfort and a sense of connection. This moment of shared existence between human and animal underscores the role of humans as stewards of the natural world and the emotional toll of wildlife casualties due to human activities.

Opinions

The author has a deep affection for deer, appreciating their presence in the natural landscape.
There is a sense of sadness and frustration at the frequency of deer being hit by vehicles.
The author believes that humans have a duty to care for and protect animals, emphasizing our role as stewards.
The poem reflects a personal sense of responsibility to care for the injured fawn, despite the inevitability of its fate.
The author criticizes the indifference of some drivers who view deer as pests rather than living beings worthy of consideration and care.
The experience has left a lasting emotional impact on the author, highlighting the interconnectedness of all life and the need for greater awareness and compassion towards wildlife.

Sitting With A Fawn

There are so many deer here in the Northeast and I love them!

Love to see their playfulness in the fields and their graceful bounds when they leap over shrubbery to escape back into the woods.

The downside of so many deer is seeing them on the roadside. I wrote this simple poem after experiencing it last month in the cold of a December night. It reminded me again of our connection we share with the animals living among us; that we are stewards of the world!

Odd place for a fawn to be resting, head half raised and looking toward the road.

I slow down, stop, and step from my car.

Someone had hurt this defenseless animal and left her to die alone, another casualty another victim of our own blindness.

A quiet, calming time, bleakness of winter night illuminated by passing headlights and full moon above, as I sit with her,

far enough away not to scare but rather to calm her in soothing, whispering tones “I’m here” until she gathers enough strength to stumble away

from the speed and indifference of drivers who see deer as a nuisance, an intrusion into their space in their heedless rushing speed to yet another forgettable event.

I watch as she retreats to the stillness of the woods to lay down, gasping, exhaling until she breathes no more, ’til her pain is gone.

Why does this image still float behind my eyes when I try to sleep?

Because for a second our eyes had connected, gazing at me, gazing through me, before she dragged herself into the woods.

Did she know I was trying? Did she know I cared? Did she know my heart was crying, that I stayed with her because she was too young to die on her own?

POETRY

Side of the Road

Sitting With A Fawn