you and i went to the woods behind my house
you took me there, but i told you where to go

i live by the meijer, in front of a playground, next to the woods
at 6:00 am,
alex is up and ready
i’ve brushed my teeth and slept in my jeans
he leads me about 50 paces to the end of the sidewalk
we wait
the bus is coming soon

they’re in front of me--

the deer have made their way through the neighborhood, maybe about 100 paces from the woods
nothing unusual, they did this yesterday
they will do it tomorrow too
it only became important once they were behind me

at 6:00 pm,
it’s dinner time
mom made steak
i have to chew for at least 20 seconds--the cut of meat is not so tender

mom cuts the fat
i’m not allowed to eat it
it’s not so good for you, dear

but she is tender and loving
she tears the crispy parts off our bacon in the mornings
she tells me where to go and what to do, but she lets me bike through the woods alone

so i bike up the street and down the path
and i make my way through their neighborhood, winding through the trees
the deer are always there
but i never noticed until they were behind me,
until you took me there after i told you where to go
and i saw the deer again
with my house and playground behind me
the deer in front, for now

we live by the meijer, in front of the playground, next to the woods
my mother, my brother, my father, my sister, and my grandma
i get ready for school in the morning
i wait for the bus
i meet the deer
i go home