Match

“A racehorse used to catch a rat

Will never match a crippled cat.”

Mouse the cat has caught a rat—

Smallish cat and largish rat,

Up and down the porch and back.

Crows are cluttering the skies,

Raucous spectators that dive

And shout, “Fight rat! Stay alive!”

Bite down, cat! That damn rat’s done!”

And then, crack, the cat has won.

Rat’s neck has snapped. Rat is gone,

Down the hatch of Mouse, the cat.

Mouse’s owner, crippled cat

Himself, tilts his porch chair back,

Grunts, and hobbles back inside.

Crows bid everyone goodnight.