Fox among the hens

© Copyright Pip Wilson 2010

She burned the night with fiery light
shining martian red electric blue.
there was little respite in the ocean night
from the pain or all that they knew.
"I'm only passing through," he spoke
with an ill-concealed sigh.
A stranger spoke from a silver throat,
"You will surely be passed by."

And the mist was cold
in the water glow
and the seven apparitions cried.

"I was sitting on my laurels for too long a time"
Said he with a faint insight,
but a stranger smiled triumphant joy
from the flesh of a weary night.
"You are lazy like a laden mule
and tired like a dying hound,"
Said the stranger, "I led you to the gates
but I won’t break them down."

She watched her man
pounce among the hens
like a fox with a coat of brown.

They both were choosing and seldom losing
for the heart is strong and true,
And the soul, of course, is not enforced,
and the will shall ever renew.
But strangers are known with contention’s bone
to haughtily cut through.

In the miles between
the king and queen
were pictures hid from view.

"Why won't you look?" she asked, and he shook
as the stranger shrank away
to the sound of a boy who said "Let's enjoy
and the pictures will pass like the day."
The stranger called from a concrete wall,
"Has he felt?" and she said, "Yes he has!"
The boy said "So's she!" and the black of the sea
sank into infinite space.

The moonlight was cool
on the galloping mule
and the famishing fox ran away.