Saturday 16 May 2009

Moonlit Wonderings

Midnight, the television dies.
I stand at the dark window
about to close velvet curtains
against the coming of the dawn.

Above the sickly sodium
vapour yellow pools of streetlight
the waxing moon hangs gibbous still;
a rotting mushroom in dirty skies.

On the lawn, where grass is etched
in jagged silver jottings
an urban fox is startled
by the clatter of a cat flap.

My old Jack Russell bumbles out
half blind, half deaf, but catches scent:
the musky odour of the wild
and her tail lifts – remembered joy.

The fox moves on , ignoring her
call of urban desire. She sniffs
where her would-be paramour sat
but he left no gift. She squats, pees.

I watch the fox as he dances
past dustbins and take-out trays
and yip-yip-yips through summer lawns
and melancholy moonlit wonderings.



'Urban Fox'
Watercolour
3 ½" x 2 ½"
$25

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I really love this, and the painting is a perfect counterpoint. The poem is incredibly visual.

Rachel Green said...

You are too kind! Thank you :)

EB said...

I like it all apart from the rotten mushroom!

Rachel Green said...

heh! Thanks EB

aims said...

I can not tell you what images this invoked because you have said it all.

Beautiful Rachel.

I've heard plenty of your urban foxes which btw amazes me.

Love the painting! I can see the tail flicking.

Rachel Green said...

Thank you Aims :)

BT said...

Super poem Rachel. Such imagery, lovely metaphors and similies. I was imagining it all.

Rachel Green said...

Thank you Gina.

spacedlaw said...

That is a lovely poem. I wish a fox would come and visit my garden at night (if only to drive the blasted cats in on time).

Rachel Green said...

Despite his haughty pride, Mr Fox is full of fleas and worms and less savoury bacteria, alas.