Winter Buck

He is full of
fear;
fractured silence
swallows
sunlit trees,
as man approaches
in a piercing
whisper-
the smell of
nightmares
coats
the creature's skin.

an eye
locked through
steel,
staring down
the heart of a beast-
and frozen
feet
will end his
life.

everywhere
to run,
nowhere
to go,
living in a
dying moment,
this winter buck
now falls before
his foe.

silver slashes
into flesh,
this slaughter
turning
sallow snow
to crimson tomb.

a warrior,
no match for
rifle's roar,
fading
into slumber
to let his
spirit soar-

but he stood
tall until his end,
standing firm
within his kingdom
on the last
day
he was king.