at first a chitter, prelude to violence,
viola warming its strings, bass drum
rattling its boom—

Louis emerges from his cardboard box,
Garfield face a menace, nonconforming,
the sullen smirk of teen
primed to spew snark,
pads,
his fat rustles the spring grass,
unblinking, pauses casually
to lick his paws

the raccoon, swollen as an arch,
bares her teeth, her eyes spotlights
beaming warnings in Aramaic tongues
soft underbellies, prefect spears
poised to pierce a cat’s heart

crescendo enters stage left
dancer on pointe, spin cycle,
animated cartoon of an Irish wife
with iron skillet, but with fangs
in place of curses

skirmish
beating of harpy wings,
cackle of devil’s bride,
demon brawl, free for all,
ears flattened to skull
white chin stained red
dripping with rabies

in the end a single image—
cat stands, whiskers defiant

Napoleon sits atop a fence
one paw tucked
into his chest

there is no peace
among city dwellers