in darkness
in dream
collecting dead cats
hung from trees
from the branches
that grow
from the narrow hill
spied by the lioness
taking interest
in my assortment
of her cousins

all this stained my soul
warnings of a beast
on the loose
had to be made
a silent warning
a guess at redemption
the ripple of muscle
under feline fur
powerful stuff
before the night
my dream will be forgotten