Oakland Police Will Pay 'Deer'ly

I enjoyed reading Patricia Killelea's poem "Report: Police Shoot Baby Deer in Oakland for No Reason". I transfered to UC Davis from Laney college in Oakland, so the location of the event is centered very close to my home, creating a sense of connection between me and the poem. I had seen the video previously before taking the class and I was definitely shocked, but not surprised, at how the Oakland officers handled it. I liked how Killelea chose to write a poem about the event and Juan Avila-Hernandez's run to honor the life of the fawn. The significance of 'Dawn', which appeared in "House Made of Dawn", is present in her poem. 

"Running the fawn wobbles off into dawn

Running the fawn wobbles off into worlds

He is a man      runnning

He is a man      running for the fawn-"

Killelea describes Juan Avila-Hernandez run as a ceremony to honor the passing of the fawn's spirit to the next world. A Native American belief of the cycle of life and death, bringing new life is a theme in her poem.  

"Step   and the blood soaks back to ground

Step    and the blood soaks back to soil;"

This symbolizes the cycle of life and death; and continuation of life with images of blood from the sacrificed fawn watering the ground, so that crops (flowers) will grow; bringing new life. 

"Our steps      sound the dawning,

                      

         So many

Enchanted           flowers

wobbling         between songs

          Stepping over Oakland

           sidewalk cracks"