Cat Call
At five a.m. or maybe earlier
the cat scratches
like a black wolf to get in.
One of us climbs out of bed,
sleep blustering us to automatic.
He jumps aboard.
We settle back.
At five thirty or maybe slightly later,
the cat scratches
like a black panther to get out.
One of us, undemocratically the same
one of us, decamps and lets him out,
sleep not so secure.
He strides downstairs.
At six a.m. – I checked it on the clock –
the cat scratches
like a black bear to get in, get us out,
lead us to the kitchen and his bowl.
All this despite the prey
he’s brought in through the flap:
a coypu, two iguanas and a cassowary.
Simon Williams has eight published collections, his latest being a co-authored pamphlet with Susan Taylor, The Weather House www.indigodreams.co.uk/williams-taylor/4594076848, published in 2017 by Indigo Dreams. This is also touring as a performance show. Simon was elected The Bard of Exeter in 2013, founded the large-format magazine, The Broadsheet and produced the well-received PLAY Anthology. He’s currently developing a one-man show, Cosmic Latte.