pre-poem

Out of a smile
inside local
disappearings
the cats waves

through thicket
to see
shanty slum
pouring crude

March birds nest
after a summer of south
now working through
winter, huddling

klatsch and carmencita
boiling, end of sleep
then whimper to work
on a grudge of gravel.

In the park
allotting cat
to short blacks
ceramicked

smelling a town of prey
disparate in grain
the perk was late
for milk

awake in
same ilk
bed of cotton
empty of tabby

the tardy workbird
golden egg
for the cat corner
cooking up breakfasts

as a grace before meal
shared silence
a strike
in discord

predates happy sleep
after five
they are most
likely wrecked

just dragged
rough tongue
and feathers unemployed
before ultimate quitting time

"bird bites dust"
welfare of nation
cap in hands
and the ship's cat

in the stern
the crow's nest is empty
eating into worktime
sailing the town

circling the square
commerce of cats and birds
clock tolls two
post office visit done

seeing the farewells
tails telling
who they saw
but I thought it was someone else

township
subset of sleep
naive sun
tries for night

to grow dark wheat
make rest's hay
rhythm for daydream
drum for dream days.

moola moola
straight the days
round the stable
washing love back

its shape makes possible
scarecrows and starlings
bored game - the cat's ship's
stern rounds, heading in.