A Warning

the cat awakened us at three
instead of the customary six
with a cry so human
we thought a teething baby
had crept into our bed
she led us to the sliding door
pacing back and forth
as if to warn us
of some vicious creature
lurking in the damp leaves
beyond the compass of the floodlight
an opossum or the bloated white cat
who patrolled the neighborhood
like an overweight thug
in search of fresh prey
 
hush we said it’s nothing but the wind
go back to sleep
and rubbed the warm soft spot
beneath her chin
until she purred and dozed off
on her velour pillow
 
but we who shuffled back to bed
lay awake until dawn
tossing and turning in the tangled sheets
with visions of impending doom
dancing in our groggy heads.

The author is Arthur Heifetz.

​Image by Sepehr Sajjadieh on Unsplash

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