Even the Possum looked up

Even the Possum looked up

The Carpet Python paused

Mid-constriction

As still as an enthusiastic tweeny

Playing statues

For what might be the last time,

As if their life depended upon it.

Bats go under the radar

Screeching silently

Hurting the ears of the dog

Barking on the balcony

Of an old Victorian

Overlooking the street,

The shadow of a Plane Tree

A giant gastropod on the black-top

Stops swallowing moonbeams.

A lizard

Hangs out a blue tongue

To taste the air

Which smells of popcorn

And stone-baked Pizza

It sways a little to the music

Coming from the family pub

On the corner

Two grown-ups, not yet children

But more childish than they were,

Barefoot in the dark

Riding electric scooters

Skitter across in front of a VW

Beetling slowly home

Wary of stragglers

The driver, still savouring the Pad Thai

Watches in surprise

As a case of light beer spills

From the running board

Cans roll every which way

As one of the guys,

Shaggy from Scooby-Doo,

Is up-ended and smacks

Headfirst

Into the side of a Cherokee

Not a word is said

As the cans are collected

The case re-filled

And with all the grace of

Torvill and Dean on meth

The guys ride off into the night

As everyone watching blinks

Not once but twice

A Huntsman asks a Dragonfly

She has tied up in knots

If what they had seen really happened

And then they return

To where they all were

Before the advent

Of an idiot wind blew everything

Askew

For just the briefest of moments.