Motoring a tight-lipped crawl br in icy slant through fog at dawn, br I drove my rounds hunched br before the model T turns, br huddling the miles toward town. br What caused my truck to slow br to a halt without pause, no br grave signal or daunting alarm? br br Perhaps a knowing within the unknown br pierced through that dense veil. br br My assurance puzzled at pinholes br of light reflected in low beams- br br startled eyes, numinous stars br worried over undefined shadows br br that darkened the gray-a herd br of deer teaming in silent mass. br br They'd been keen on crossing br to graze the icicled grass br and frozen stalks of milo. br Our gaze suspended midway, br they turned abruptly aside br and offered their tails, br fluttering like flags br in surrender to the fog. br br What else to do but snap br out of my trance and test br the wheel, inch through thickets br of air and trust for the best. br Where deer freshly bounded br I glimpsed a course dim, br like a sailor plying vague seas, br hoping to spy clear land again.