Lizard in my backyard

5 November 2013
 
Its belly dragged
​along the ground
​​as it danced forward
​​​each foot guiding its wave-
​​​​like movement
 
back and forth, side to side
​a belly dancer with a shiny shimmy
tail glistening in ​​​the sun. Both 
nearly blocked my vision ​​​​to 
the act I was to witness
 
Its gleam caught my kitten’s
​eyes, which also gleamed and
​​absorbed all the light and
​​​life in my backyard as
​​​​she hunted everything that flinched.
 
As the slight breeze
​caught my hair, making it
​​wave before my face, attempting
​​​to spare me from seeing this
​​​​thing—a natural slaughter.
 
We hide in vain
​my long mane of vanity
​​cannot protect me from reality
​​​I can shimmy my way through
​​​​but I can’t escape truth. Life
 
happens, and death comes too
​and my kitten’s fresh red whiskers
​​are prettier than the faux rouge
​​​on my two lips. My tulips
​​​​are far fairer than my flesh
 
even if plucked. But my two
​lips should be plucked away
​​by the fierce feline fighting fallacy
​​​licking her whiskers with a blush
​​​​I should always have instead of
 
cover up. My kitten kicks up the dirt
​to cover up not indecency, but foul scent
​​or mass. She is much wiser than I
​​​because she only buries the waste​
​​​​not the act of life.
 
Back and forth we go, going through
​the motions of routine and scheduled
​​life. The great choreography is too
​​​rehearsed. My kitten never trips
​​​​because her grace is unplanned.