On the fence
There's a black lump
on top of the tall wooden fence
at dawn
as I look out my
kitchen window
Looks like a cat
on top of the tall wooden fence
between tarmacked civilisation
and knotty wilderness
of brambles nettles bindweed
It is a cat
on top of the tall wooden fence
deliberating whether to jump
or not to jump
It perches there
on top of the tall wooden fence
hind legs higher
than front paws
tail out of sight
balancing the body
down the other side
of the tall wooden fence
The cat's head bobs up and down
deliberating whether or not
to jump into the thorny world
atwitter and astir with birds
and mice and rats
The rain drives harder
the light grows stronger
the streetlight orange goes out
vanishes and dies away
On top of the tall wooden fence
harsh white front paws and chin
shimmer brightly
the cat looks down
reaches and stretches down the post
of the tall wooden fence
a black sinuous line
is gone
The birds sing louder
the light grows stronger
rain whispers on the leaves
No dark lump lurks
on top of the tall wooden fence
© MPJ, Oban, August 2008 |
