I just saw the bottle-brush cat
kill a squirrel in it’s prime
I watched from across the street as it flailed
And wondered what power
must that cat have, as it barely
seemed to notice
just went on blinking slowly in our direction

At the same moment a Blue Jay alit
And commenced to wailing
as they do
-Police birds of the neighborhood-
Murder! Beware! This Black cat is marked!
Don’t trust it!
It takes no prisoners!
Don’t unlock your doors!
A cardinal came to listen
To the fervent sermon

My cat,
who has been hellbent
on banishing old bottle brush all week,
was on the verge of crossing the road
for not the first time
to instill a lesson into that cat
but I wonder if deep down
her pride took a hit
seeing someone else “villain”
so much better than her