Rare white-faced fawn, rejected by mother, dies before 1st birthday

Written October 2023

Notes: Based off an article with the same title as this poem, and a quote-retweet of it from @whoshotlouise that reads "i just know a kid on tumblr is writing the most heartwrenching poem about this". (link)

do you love me? i asked, see-through and all. she stared through me like a prophet, whole and apathetic. i withered, light with no home, birthed empty. falling under. i gazed up, toward the pages stark against my bone-dry eyes, toward the hope of beauty, and maternal escape.