the day i shot the antelope

i was 18
riding fence on Wagon Hound 
i noticed an antelope
always pretty much in the same place
as i would ride through on my way to fence mending
for three days he was there
on the fourth day
i brought my single shot .22 rifle
he was there
i knew he would be
he had a bad hip
if he were healthy i would have never seen him
this close
he had a great rack
good ivory on the tips
some would be glad to have him on their wall
i left my horse at the fence
and walked toward him
there was a small gully with some scrub bushes
he as standing there
his head and neck visible
he backed into as much cover as he could
i lay down
i shot him though the side of the head with a long rifle hollow point
from about 20 yards
this distance seemed to be about what he would tolerate from me
i had walked toward him before
i did not want to see him struggling to flee
with his broken hip
he had to wonder why
why can't i run
i've always ran
i am the fastest on the prairie
he went down with one shot
i went over and looked at him
i thought he was pretty
i didn't need another shot
i left him
dead on his land
with his rack and integrity intact
he would understand when the Magpies and coyotes
came to release his soul
putting it back into that system of life
and his soul  would again run free across the vast plains of Wyoming

i didn't tell anyone about shooting the antelope
sometimes you have to search way back
to find something that you are proud of
what you find may surprise you
looking back i'm proud to have done it