This cabin smells damp
Tucked away in the timber
Backroaded
Secluded
Welcome to Deer Camp
It was wintertime
And we had to ***
Into a tube in the wall
PVC
I’m at that awkward age
Not lanky
But frumpy and weird
So hand me a rifle
For the slaughter
Of a creature I revered
Man, what we do
To make our fathers proud
My secret was
I hated guns
And loved boys
I really only went on this trip
Because I heard that John
Grilled some mean potatoes
Accented with caramelized
Onions and garlic
The rumors were true
The fire crackles
Against a sky
Of light blue
I watched these men
Bearded and loud
Would I ever be like them?
Did I want to be?
My quiet heart
Felt alien
A freak
I wasn’t a hunter
Instead I gathered
A harvest of me
Thoughts and emotions
Into a cauldron
Of poetry
But I kept that part
Hidden
Tucked away
For another day
The men in their
Camouflage attire
Yawn as the sun sets
I try to fit
Into the cabin
We retire
The lantern’s light
Flickers across
The walls of the room
Sam’s Club candy
For dessert
Distant thunder
Booms
It was bedtime
And a storm was rolling
In the atmosphere and in
My head full of fear
Can someone please
Get me out of here
I cried from my cot
“Please take me home”
My dad glared
What a disappointing
Drive that was
Have I ever not
Let you down?
I think
As blankly ahead
I stared
We pull into the driveway
Ignition turns off
Headlamps extinguish
He unlocks the door
By the light of the moon
I feel
Relief and anguish
Mom was annoyed
This was supposed to be
Her weekend alone
Grieving the death
Of her own mother
She hugs me
While wiping
A tear from her
Cheekbone
Steel Magnolias
And a box of Kleenex
I ruined that
You brought a fairy
To deer camp
What did you expect?