A Bruised Deer Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

A smitten and bruised deer
I hide in tall bushes,
Too easily spotted
By daylight. A prey.

In night’s sober respite,
I venture forth shyly,
Smitten, side bleeding,
From secrets of reeds.

Your wild woods enfolded
With musk scented blossoms,
While dew covered moonbeams
Soon wove a tight cage.

I peeked at the sky
Past glistening tree tops,
Leaves dropping green diamonds,
As soft feet drew near.

The panther was tawny,
Its eyes understanding,
Paws soft to the touch,
Mouth’s beauty sublime.

You took me in silence.
For one frozen moment,
Wood creatures in thickets
Stopped trilling their songs.

When morning arose
To a fresh quilt of dewdrops,
It gently embraced
A path touched by blood.

I cannot bear daytime,
Too weak now to wander
To hummingbirds flutter
And mossy delights.

My fate is to suffer
The tearing of cobwebs,
That silences birdsong
In panther’s dark play.

A smitten and bruised deer
I hide in tall bushes,
Too easily spotted
By daylight. A prey.