Dare Williams
How to Make a Deer Collapse
Start by getting him right where you want him
Soothing the soft part of his head
Maybe it’s a truck and you are the driver
Start by saying you are taking him somewhere
A place he’s never heard of
Start by making sure whatever is in the rear view will shrink
Tell him that an engine idling is love
Till him that a slamming door is love
Tell him that searching is for fools
Tell him there’s no use in praying
Tell him to get out of your face
Tell him to forget about dreams
Tell him anyone who’s anyone has
A mother to say once upon a time
A father to say as far as the eye can see
So don’t even try to look
Then say forget everything you’ve seen here
Even the name of this town
Then take your foot off the break
A 2019 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow, Dare Williams is a queer HIV-positive poet, artist, activist native to Southern California. Dare’s poetry has been featured in Cultural Weekly and elsewhere. An alum of John Ashbury Home School Claremont, he is currently working on his first poetry collection.
Return to January 2020 Edition
Start by getting him right where you want him
Soothing the soft part of his head
Maybe it’s a truck and you are the driver
Start by saying you are taking him somewhere
A place he’s never heard of
Start by making sure whatever is in the rear view will shrink
Tell him that an engine idling is love
Till him that a slamming door is love
Tell him that searching is for fools
Tell him there’s no use in praying
Tell him to get out of your face
Tell him to forget about dreams
Tell him anyone who’s anyone has
A mother to say once upon a time
A father to say as far as the eye can see
So don’t even try to look
Then say forget everything you’ve seen here
Even the name of this town
Then take your foot off the break
A 2019 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow, Dare Williams is a queer HIV-positive poet, artist, activist native to Southern California. Dare’s poetry has been featured in Cultural Weekly and elsewhere. An alum of John Ashbury Home School Claremont, he is currently working on his first poetry collection.
Return to January 2020 Edition