There was blood in the garden
thick across the stepping stones
and paving slabs
echoes of a fight here last night
or the aftermath of one elsewhere
between
what?
cats
and foxes
cats
and birds
cats
and cats
or a hedgehog perhaps
dragged out of the dead leaves
beneath the bamboo
carved open
by tooth
and claw
and carried away
from this fenced-in prison
to someone else’s lair
__________
Notes:
1. Written on September 15th, 2017
__________