There are lines that scream irony out. "By glow of the taillight I stumbled back." (Lines 5-6) The taillight of the vehicle is the only source of light on this dark empty road. Yet it is when there is light upon the situation that the man stumbles. We would usually predict him to stumble in the darkness, but chillingly, we see that as the poem continues along, he operates better in the dark. .
The doe was "almost cold," (Line 7) yet a couple lines later we are told, "her side was warm." (Line 10) The contradicting statements bring the reader to the realization that this confrontation between the modern man and nature is a contradiction too. Depending whose side you are on, nature or modern man, you will believe what you will about the state of life in this story. The author furthers this dividing line with another contradiction, "alive, still, never to be born." (Line 11) This man is having a debate. He has a choice and each will have a consequence and he must decide which is the lesser of consequence. He can push this doe and fawn over the edge and allow the automobiles bound to travel the road to continue peacefully on their path. Or, he can allow this life of the fawn a chance to live and create a roadblock for the modern man and his car.
While he internally debates what to do, the vehicle and nature wait to see what he shall do. The hum of the engine mixed with the sounds of wilderness make him fully aware both sides of this battle are tuned in. He claims to have thought hard for us all, alluding he will be supportive of mankind. Yet he hesitates, swerving with his thoughts but assuring us that come night's end, no matter how guilty he might feel, he will be the only one that needs to swerve both literally and in a physical driving sense.
