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Mary Mills
From: Gail Holst-Warhaft [glh3@cornell.edu]
Sent: Monday, March 14,2011 1:03 pM
To: Mary Miils
Subject: for tonight's mereting
To the Trustees:
I am sorry I cannot b_e present at tonight's meeting because I am teaching.
As Poet Laureate of Toml<in's County, I would like to express my feelings i-n this poem which I hope willbe read at the meeting' I am deeply saddened that the strong fLelings of many members of thecommunity about the killing of deer in our neighborhood, expressed lt meeting after meeting, have notbeen able to dissuade the Trustees from their plans
The Solution
When their numbers grr3w, people grumbled;
the mayor funded a stu<ly to count them.
They were trapped in nr;ts, ears tagged,
collars cinched. Some l,eapt into roads
or gorges to escape the nets. Others
stumbled, breaking slenLder legs.
After ayear an estimate)was made;
meetings were held to address the danser
to cars, dogs, children,l.he forest
undergrowth. Some sai<L deer
walk upon our ... poisoned lawns
eating tulips without permission.
Solutions were put forward: sterilization.
electric fences, death by' shooting.
Homeland Security camLe to train
the local police to deal ivith protest.
Sharp-shooters were exlrensive, but few
seemed to mind their taxes spent
on ridding the village o1'so grave a problem
it threatened traffic and spring plantings.
The deer stepped lightly as dancers
through the darkening gardens, heads lifted
to stare at the villagers still deciding
how best to make the inl.ruders vaniih.
Gail Holst-Wahaft, December 2010.
03t14t2011
Page2 of 2
Adjunct Professor Gail Holst-Warhaft
Cornell University
Director, Mediterranean Situdies Initiative
Faculty Associate, Cornelll Center for a Sustaina$le Future
Institute for European Studies
Uris 120
Ithaca, NY 14853-7601
t. 607.255,1554
f, 607,2s5.156s
03/14t2011