Saturday, April 14, 2007

OH DEER!

While doing some file cleaning, I ran across this poem that I wrote for my neice and her husband. My sister has 2 daughters, and they are both beautiful girls. Lori is in grad school and Tara lives here and is married. She married a guy who is MR. Outdoor Life. He has her fishing and hunting and such. Well, when the family heard that she was going deer hunting with him...we were quick to voice our opinions. At least, I was. Now, I have an aversion to deliberatly causing harm or pain...let alone death...to any creature. But, I also know that that sentiment is not shared by everyone. Sweet Will, her husband has been most understanding of my vocalizations about his lifestyle. He assures me that all the deer they kill are used for food. Which really does nothing to ease my feelings...not as long as there is a Winn-Dixie in the near vicinity. But, I digress. The fact is...he took her deer hunting...complete with her head to toe camoflage outfit and gun. No...she did NOT look cute. I have always thought she and I were very much kindred spirits....BUT..she liked it! And not only that, she killed a deer! And then did the whole blood ritual ....and they made a PICTURE...and delighted in showing me. :0
So, I wrote this for them:

This is the story of terror and fear
That happens when hunters named Tara are near.

Deer Mommy always said, "Stay close by my side
When Tara comes around...there's no place to hide."

But I did not listen, my heart would not stay.
I just lost all my senses when sweet Will came my way.

My Papa would tell me "Those boys are no good..."
But, I'd forget his warning when Will entered our woods.

His face looked so kind that it was difficult to see
That fierce female warrior crouched in the tree.

But behind him she was, just waiting her chance
To turn my demise into her victory dance.

Sweet Will could not stop her, though I'm sure he tried
When Tara gets the scent...it's "Bambi...Bye-Bye".

She stood...then she shot...then jumped to her feet,
"Will, oh sweet Will, I've shot us some meat!"

Now what is left of me is hanging at your place.
My meat's in your freezer...my blood's on your face.

My story will be told in woods far and near:
GO HIDE AT YOUR AUNT'S HOUSE WHEN TARA IS NEAR!!!!!



P.S....they still speak to me, too.

5 comments:

Jean said...

Oh boy, you would HATE being married to any of the men in my hubby's family (six of them!) We women always say that whenever we get together, they either talk about last year's deer hunting stories, or their plans for next year's. There's NEVER an off season for them.

I do understand your aversion, believe me. It's a little hard to explain to a six-year-old who LOVES Bambi that Grandpa shot a deer.

In their defense, there is a dreadful overpopulation of deer up here, and if they don't get killed one way, they often get killed another (running in front of vehicles). That is not fun, as we found out one time.

Anonymous said...

Tonja, I'm with you - I don't like to see people kill for sport. My ex-son-in-law loved to go hunting. He'd kill deer (using bow and arrow) then bring home the meat. He tried to give us some of the meat, but I'd never take it. He also had the heads mounted and hung in his living room, which really freaked me out.

Cute poem - I'm glad they're still talking to you!

Dianne said...

A guy I work with loves to hunt too...it is definitely an obsession that I don't get either!

Deedra said...

My dad is a BIG hunter, He has traveled to Canada and Colorado several times to hunt everything from deer, to elk, to bears. I grew up around it, and ate the meat all the time, so I have never really thought much about it. I did love your poem though!

Justabeachkat said...

You're a poet...did you know it?

(I don't like hunting either, I don't like even thinking about it!)