Courting Poem by Claire Slater

Down the spider scurried alley
Watched the moon begin to rise
As he counted scratching ratlets
and their silver tinted eyes
On a sill high up above him
He could see her pretty face
Called her down but no she would, n, t
She, d stay there the safest place
.
Sliding in and out of shadows
Mrs Johnsons ginger fool
As he tried to keep his feet dry
And stay looking hard and cool
At the entrance to the alley
Old man Kelly, s big black tom
Tail a swishing sat there thinking
Should he make that fast lad run

Stretching up to judge the distance
Could he do it yes or no
there, s that wide boy from the grocers
Not much choice then here we go
Landed on the sill beside her
With his gift a fresh caught rat
She just yawned and shimmied sideways
courting, s so hard for a cat