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.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem