“You’re the Deer Man!”
That’s what Chaz explained,
how every year
he would install in the yard
the lighted deer at Christmas
and apparently people
in the neighborhood
noticed
because at a party
down the block
when people were
exchanging addresses
a man near neighbor exclaimed,
“You’re the Deer Man!”
I can just imagine Kristina
saying, “Yes,
the Dear Man!”
and I think back
as I do all the time now
down in Altadena
how we used to put out
our own deer family
and I, holding in my smugness,
ours were better
bigger and
they had motors
the heads moved
the Stag deer proudly
back and forth
surveying the landscape
protective over the mother deer
her head moving up and down
as she fed on the grass
at her feet hooves
staked to the ground
just in case and
an extension cord from the house
green to blend in
and we left them up
after the holidays
because you know
saves the trouble
of taking down putting up
and after years
pulling weeds cleaning out
the grass that grows through
and connections rusty
some lights not lighting
the doe’s head
no longer bobbing
the Stag that’s me
still standing tall
surveying the world
wishing that you
my darling deer
were still here
near me
so I could pull up
the stakes holding me down
and come to you
and hold you
in my deer arms