first version

that cat is not so afraid
in the coolness of the air,
curling vespers tend to broken wings
across which was spun a concoction of
statement and circumstance that define intent
the mood and the lighting brings down news
of abandonment and marooned dislikes

the corner is stolen by magic
the large eyes that stare back out of the dark
are hungry and wooden their glare is made
of the children of need

asking for your pennies
they pretend, according to the newspaper
and then hand all their profits to hasten death
without the pain of vision