Deer at Advent – a poem by Richard Green

Deer at Advent

The dark deer come out at dusk,
out of the huisache and mesquite
and tangled vines,
their contours drawn in sinew and bone.
I watch them graze on grassy lawns
beneath the low spreading limbs
of great live oaks.

The light deer come on at dusk
on spacious lawns
with wreaths and sleighs
and Christmas trees,
their contours told in arcs of gold.
I watch them glow
beneath the low spreading limbs
of great live oaks.

The dark deer
and the light deer
together on grassy lawns
beneath the low spreading limbs
of great live oaks
celebrating wildness,
celebrating light,
solstice and
the grace of
salvation.

Richard Green lives in southern New Mexico in the Rio Grande Valley. He writes about natural phenomena mostly. His poetry can be seen in The Almagre Review, Penwood Review, Sin Fronteras/Writers Without Borders, The Avocet, The Anglican Theological Review, and Twitterization Nation. His website is www.anewmexicanpoet.com.