Alexandra soft and furry,
Sleeps upon my open lap,
Pacing through a jungle's danger,
Twitching slightly in her nap.
Jasmine sits awake and watching,
Lightning in a velvet paw,
A moment's touch, machine-like purring,
But armed and ready, tooth and claw.
Alexandra's tail is swishing,
Restless in her slumbers still.
Jasmine's pupils shrink to daggers.
Time to practise how to kill.
Leaping in a single motion,
Landing on a wincing knee.
Claws in flesh, a loud commotion.
Chasing through the house with glee.
Then a fly in foreign air-space
Sinks below the fatal line.
The frenzied feline fight is halted,
Truced until a duller time.
Earry radars lock on target,
As insect feet land on a wall.
With rasping missile tongue extended,
Jasmine bites, then swallows all.
Alexandra feigns indifference,
Lapping at her ruffled fur.
Jasmine aids the post-war clean-up.
Mutual ear licks as they purr.
On this shaggy Serengeti,
Yawns announce the hunt is done.
A well-preened pint-sized pride of lions
Sleeps in shafts of tiger sun.
© 1995 Gavin Miller. All rights reserved.