The problem of deer

Deer wander this place
warm  to our    music

There is the problem of deer
 that is also  the problem
of wander  and the problem
of  place  that is also
the problem of music

The problem of deer is   is it   one
 or many
if many   how many
if one   how

is   perhaps   the problem   of our
where i
am i

The problem of deer is  i
cannot give you deer  i
cannot give you deer if  there is no
 deer
where there is no deer  i
cannot make

The problem of music is  i can
make music   even
where there  is no  deer
in it   i can
make music     music
that   is not deer   that
is not    there

The problem  there   is not   the problem
 of where
deer is

  warm and   bloodied




Poem first published in Berkeley Poetry Review.