The Capitulaton of King Stomach
Slave stomach said to the rest of the body “I am King!” and the general populace of the body acquiesced worried lest its bond…
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12/23/2012 (from The Match That Becomes a Conflagration, unpublished)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