Cat Drama

by Albert Fried-Cassorla

 

SQUEEEALLL!

as the chipmunk squeaked

its ghastly terror,

thrashing abominably

in the happy cat's mouth.

 

During this -- its penultimate drama -- we all froze.

 

Seemed that nasty cat had Chip's neck

tightly in its toothy slamma

 

We anticipated a cruel ending to this natural calamity

Crowds of 70-year-olds lost passivity,

staring, mouths agape on the chair-lined hotel entry-way.

 

Like readers of some nickel misery,

we all wondered desperately what the outcome might be...

 

After some dithering and feline snithering,

the cat,
grey and white,
city-fed and deadly bored,
released its
agonized hoard.

 

We applauded handily as the tiny creature
skittered
up that tree.

Messeur le Cat,

vexed,

confident,

and now supremely at liberty...

scratched at the lower limbs of the tree

knowing he'd had his play,

and we -
our small,
though still

quite
incredible,
victory.

5-29-99