I, Panther

Living on the edge,
I sit, I wait
Enjoying the solitude of my aloneness

My senses
attuned to every sound,
Every noise, every jolt or snap of a twig
That hides within the sable abyss
Of my jungle lair

My coat
Sleek and black
Dispels a random raindrop that
Plops softly alongside me,
Lingering for a long moment
Before falling out of sight into
The deep darkness below

My prey
Walks unknowingly below me
Its lips, softly seeking a rare blade
Of absent foliage
not yet tarnished
by the charring
Nepal sun

The kill
Is swift and satisfies the gnawing
In my gut for yet another
Day
Until it is time to feed again

I secure
The remains of my prize
Out of reach of others
Who might steal her
Perched among the branches
She is hidden from view
And known only to me

A night’s work now
Finished, I seek refuge
As the first rays of light
Creep through the tangled
Branches that reach like
Demons over my head
As though to embrace
With twisted limbs

Living on the edge,
I sit, I wait
Enjoying my solitude
And wanting nothing more