Topic suggested by A. Thoren

The Kitten and the Bunny

Walking through dry summer pasture
A bunny darts quickly.
Stopping he wiggles his ears to catch the sounds
Sloped rock hides him from easy view.
Nearby a learning kitten stalks an unseen prey,
Cautious the cat creeps
Slowly the kitten moves, pausing for motion.
The bunny unaware nibbles grass,
Ever closer the kitten slinks
Suddenly the kitten leaps.
The bunny darts rapidly and hops away
For a brief moment the kitten follows.
Soon a branch moves in the slight air
A swift movement captures the kitten’s eye.
Off the kitten speedily runs and jumps.
Catching his tail the kitten tumbles
Toward the tiny ribbon of water.
Only I saw the kitten fall into the brook
My kitten emerged soaked through
Shaking his body, then a hind foot kicking out and
Then the other hind foot kicking startles the bunny,
The race was on
Darting to and fro the kitten easily gives up.
I called for “Mister Shadow” with tail pointing up
He rubbed against my leg.

Robert Dodson
May 9, 2009

Written for Tara Johnston

Labored Dreaming

Tools' puzzle on ordeals buried over victory's mask

Asked, given triumphant happiness of lament streaming

Roles awakened to distant thunder of labored dreaming

Against odds felled by unattained heights eases the task.

Joy streams onward under lids closed open so tightly

Over a hand struggling, reaching the final justice rightly

Honor holds its keys to seek rings never ending travels sight

Nodding approval nurtures a cautious belief of foes timid might.

Seeking multitude tears wel into canyons, valleys lined deep

Trails to a knowing tenderness leave, achieve a bold leap,

Old habits squabble steadily for woken gain to chance

Nothing happens endlessly on doors ajar at the dance.

Robert Dodson

May 4, 2009