11.13
Dying Deer by Michael McKennedy
This photograph was taken this morning on my way to work. At first I thought, “Great! A photo opportunity!” I put the car and reverse, parked on the side of the road and approached this person sized animal bleeding, looking quite dead. Then as I was getting close to the deer it let out some sort of gasp, gurgle, cough type of sound. The noise caused me to jump back. I had visions of blood and mucus splattering on my face as if the deer suddenly spit. Then I noticed that its belly was slowly rising up and down. At first I felt sadness. This beautiful creature that was frolicking in the woods just moments ago had been struck down by a car or truck. It laid there on the ground nearly motionless as I stood a foot away trying to capture it’s dying image. After a minute or two I began questioning my sadness. “What is this sadness based upon?”, I wondered. “Why do I assume that the deer is in a ‘bad’ place as it lay there, it’s body shutting down on this brisk November morning?” “Maybe there isn’t any pain. Maybe this is the happiest the deer had ever been?” I got back in my car, turned the music up and drove away. It was just another regular work day for me.
The smell of the dying deer still fills the air around me as I gaze at the photograph. The beautiful creature’s body has been removed from the roadside but it’s dying image lives on. (I wish that I had pictures of it frolicking in woods! I don’t get the ‘deer posing’ opportunity too often! If the deer was alive this post might not be such a downer! Sorry!)
