Owl

          Perched in the shadows of night
          With bold eyes that pierce and peer,
          Watching for dining delight
          Of rodents and chicklets near,

          Staunch and stoic pretender,
          Icon of worldly wisdom,
          Waiting chicklets to plunder,
          To squeeze with bloody talon.

          Creature of darkness, lurking
          In shadows to take from earth
          Birds rising to chirp and sing,
          Little chicks, clucking at birth.

          Robbing the beauty of light,
          From those that frolic by day;
          Conquering in dark of night,
          Taking sleeping ones away.

          "Whoo-whoo!" sounds begin to preach,
          Arrogant words in the night,
          Eerily echoing to teach
          Doctrines of evil taking flight.

          Morbid creature of darkness,
          Siren of night, singing your verse;
          Pied piper of emptiness,
          Lurking to babble  your curse.

          Hoot! Screech! Cry in arrogance
          Blasphemous, treacherous lies
          In whorey dark vigilance
          To seduce with evil eyes.

                  January 26, 1998