The Last Waltz


The little bird flees a Main Coon’s gaze.
He kicks off the ground and rides the gust of a happy wind.
Takes off, sweeps along the road then up, up through trees.
Branches bent, adorned with leaves picked off one by one.
The sky hosts a show of swans, an arrow-formed warning.
The little bird settles on a branch, searching his company.
Another gust of wind steals a golden leaf, carries it to sea.
The tree performs a last waltz, nude to the golden moon.
Dreading the tight winter cover-up to come.