Raccoon-Night — A poem
© By Vijaya Sundaram
May 11, 2012
Whiskers a-quiver,
Tail aloft
Bright little raccoon,
Sharply soft.
Your paws hold fruit
Your eyes the night
Your secret hides
In shadowed light.
I gaze at you
You stand so still,
And gaze right back
And eat your fill.
What cheer, what cheer, you bright young thief?
What joys, what pains, what songs, what strife?
What shapes your raccoonish beliefs
Through this, your secret, night-time life?
I wish to join you, little thing,
And slip out through that magic door,
Stay up all night, pick songs to sing
Songs we’ve never sung before.
And as I see your tail aloft,
I see how midnight makes things soft
The dark leans close, your eyes shine bright
I stay with you, in hushed moonlight
Sleep comes to knock; I turn back, sad
To say goodbye, see you no more.
But when I drift, my smile is glad;
I’ll still slip through that magic door!