Urban Poems

Alley Cats

They stood like men, too eager
to pursue their direction next
to rain gutters soaking in residue
from homeless camps.
Alley cats scamper leaving the compound,
causing a rattling disturbance
of trash bins rocking in almost
a cradling motion several times
before quieting.
What frightens them through thin
walls and spare rooms?
Swarms leave modest grounds
where grasshoppers stir,
sleepy willows tilt their bodies,
and horn frogs leap in murky streams.

Janene Daniel