Daily missive for Wednesday the 24th of March.

‘With a nod to Bukowski’

He was always in a hurry

Prowled the hen house

On the run

Tore it open in a flash

Spilt blood

It splashed high

Leaving a slash of red

Up into the trees

Across the leaves

Discolouring the green

It could have been mistaken for holly berries

He was long gone

When the lights in the house

Came on

Always ran low to the ground

His brush extended

Straight out

A wily thing

Even as he charged onward

Some Days he allowed for

A few minutes respite

Took a hard drink

And a soft seat at the back

Of the Bearpit

There was always a mixed crowd

Of animal

At the roadhouse

Lovebirds smooched to mood music

Ruffling their feathers

Whenever he came too close

But the barkeeper kept a bat

Behind the counter

His was a meeting place

Not a fight night

All were welcome

Provided they kept their counsel

No who-men allowed

They were never to be trusted

With the truth

They had ideas bigger than their station

And none of the animals

Thought too kindly of their cruelty

Even the good ones

Ate goose on a Sunday

The Fox liked the old place

It was a sanctuary

Not that he stayed too long

Always on the run

A rabbit stuck in a corner

Hiding in shadow

Unsure of his safety

Whispered to his friend

The water vole

‘He always seems jumpy

Is there somebody after the Fox?

‘Yeh’ replied the vole

‘You could say that…

About thirty dogs

And twenty men

Dressed in red

On twenty horses’

When the rabbit looked around

The fox had gone to ground

And the horsemen

Were approaching.