Sambar Deer

Such large and pretty fearful eyes

In knowledge you are loved to death,

Wanted to destruction, hungry adored

Flesh from bone, a lifetaking appreciation

You are feast beloved food source

They will hunt you.

Pretty eyes, anxious wide and wary

I have seen you on the deer faces

Of hunted women, troubled children.

Victim eyes, large and sweet with sorrow

I have greeted you startled in mirrors.

They hunt you still.

He asks why you evolved to be tasty

As thought the prey has some right

To choose not to be eaten.

Deer eyes, gentle eyes, did you intend

This body to be so fatally appealing?

Did any of us choose?

My son has a huge thing about tigers, leading us to the information that Sambar deer are the prey of preference. We saw some footage. They have big, sad, frightened eyes, and the image stayed with me.