The Crossing

The doe mule deer follows the same route almost daily

Up Big Tire Gulch

Across the road on the right of the “private property” sign

Skirting along the eastern fence

Then down though the scattering of juniper and pine

 

The deer never walks up through the juniper and pine

Never crosses the road

To the left of the sign

 

On my good days

I try to imagine the doe taking another route

Maybe walking directly across the prairie

Or jumping the fence instead of walking alongside

 

But my sensibilities are not those of a deer

And I have my own problems to consider

For example, why do I always pull on my left shoe first?

 

—Mitchell Hegman