In a drafty old barn, I stalk
The lazy breath of the wind brings me scents as I creep around on the haystacks
I smell a mouse in the barn, but where?
I slowly walk, observing every detail;
a rusty tractor, a worn out boot, a forgotten doll. Yet I see nothing.
Then the mouse makes his fatal mistake
His tiny claws skitter on the wood
A minute sound to you, but a blast of noise to me I freeze and crouch down
low, my belly on the hay
Has he seen me? I think not
I wait.
Silence.
Then another skitter and I whip my head around
I lock my eyes on my prey, my victim
My muscles tense, as I watch the mouse and I am ready to jump.
No,not yet, I tell myself
Wait until he is under you.
But then his black eyes spot me.
He freezes, a statue of a mouse as I look into his eyes Foolish mouse.
Then he suddenly makes a run for it right under my bale of hay towards safely in a hole
But I know he will never make it
For I am quicker
I compress my body and energy and then release it,
and shoot into the air like a cannon ball,
and land heavily on the mouse I feel him wriggle under my claws his little heart racing
I am the Cat.