The First And Last Time Poem by Alexandre Nodopaka

My buddies took me
on my first hunting trip.

I was shortly out
of the US army
feeling cocky
about my marksmanship.

We spent the whole day
in the Ukiah mountains
with not a buck
in sight.

That's when we split
and I found myself alone
climbing up a hill
buried in pine trees.

Starting downhill
I glimpsed a movement
300 yards away
amongst
the tree trunks.

I was on the ready
when the shape
leaped
and began running
in smooth
wave-like
undulating
motion
perpendicular
to my stare.

From tree to tree
I followed it
in my rifle sight
and guessing
a distance in front
of the leaping shape
I pulled the trigger.

The mass
stopped dead
in its tracks.

Coming close enough
to see its dark
enormous
brown
eye
will be a never be
a forgotten gaze
eye to eye.