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Sweeney Among the Alley Cats

James Enelow

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καὶ εἶχον τρίχας ὡς τρίχας γυναικῶν, καὶ οἱ ὁδόντες αὐτῶν ὡς λεόντων ἦσαν.
Rev. IX:8

Tonight old Sweeney sits amazed
at sex and food he cannot taste.
As king of cats he starts his watch
to judge the thin and meekly chaste.

The stars out back have shown their heads.
An easy scent floats past the wall.
As sweeney sits approaching sleep,
the nubile cats begin their call.

They slip from underneath the slats
and circle in on Sweeney’s feet.
His neighbor Ms. Moriavich
tries on a dress that’s marked petite.

And from the the kitchen stove arrayed
with jelly, marmalade and jam
the chef the bastes his evening meal,
a vast virginia honeyed ham.

Its scent some marker in this fog,
sets Sweeney reeling for a fall.
He moves his hand from cat to cat
to grace and bless and chide them all.

Two landings up the Montez girls
Let down their hair so it can dry.
They roll their fishnet stockings up.
They tease their hair and Sweeney sighs.

They pull the shades to close their show.
Framing a sexy silhouette,
their bite keeps Sweeney half-awake.
He dreams of cats he’d like to pet.

As dawn approaches on the hill,
he starts to count and number cars,
to dream of steak and shepherd’s pie,
of olives, schnapps and fine cigars,

He’ll wait until the honored sun
lifts up its round, majestic head
to tuck old Sweeney into sleep
to rest among the drowsy dead.

And just when night gives in to day,
the cats adjust their angered cry,
which drifts along the wooden gate,
to snatch the stars from Sweeney’s sky.

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James Enelow is a poet, essay writer and blogger and he teaches English at Tarrant County College in Ft. Worth.   He promotes the use of science fiction and film imagery in his classes.  He is a currently published writer and has several blogs, including “The Center and The Center of Me,”  “Big Shots in English,” “A Serious Wakeup Call” and “Juxtaposition Collision.” Several of his poems have appeared in River King Poetry Supplement, The New Review, The Review, Haikuniverse, Aiken Standard Magazine, Texas Bards Anthology 2025 and The Southern Poetry Anthology.

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