White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 

The White-Tailed Deer

by Alice Delaney

The white-tailed deer you’re likely to find

In shrub lands, woodlands & forests to dine.

Their munchies are tree branches, fruit, seeds & bark,

And all of it eaten, yes, eaten in the dark.

Antlers are grown yearly by each buck

In fighting for a mate they do not duck;

Meeting head-on there’s a loud antler clash

The winner gets the girl and the loser must dash.

And these creatures get leapin’ indeed quite fast.

At 40 miles per hour they won’t come in last

Against humans and other predators that would try    

To catch these grand leapers who seem to fly.

Not only fast leapers are the white-tailed deer,

But good swimmers too, escaping all fear.

They know danger is coming right from the start,

With a sensitive smeller alerting them to dart.

At dusk they appear, then dawn do hide,

For white-tailed deer at night come alive.

So if you wanna gander at a doe, buck, or fawn

Your bedtime will have to wait or you’ll be up before dawn!