Took a Deep Breath

The night was perched all around with
hooting owls on branches in the dark

some flying with their enormous wings
in constant intercommunication

Green water curled up its lips at the
land’s edge under a smudged moon

Owls’ eyes could see it all
No mouse was safe

They ran along under
leaves as best they could

knowing full well they had owl eye
radar on top of them at all times

A snap crackle or pop and an owl’s
head swivels in its direction

The mice were saying their prayers
under their mousy breaths

mouse hearts going like mad
moonlight seeming to

spotlight bright light between any
crack in the leaf cover

Lovers touched pink noses before heading out
spouses lightly brushed each other’s paws

took a deep breath before scurrying

While whoever’s the owls’ predator
had its eye on the owls —

eagle or wild cat God’s Eye honed to
razor sharp sight

the whole sky
the whole night

---

12/23/2012 (from The Match That Becomes a Conflagration, unpublished)

Categories: Poems