The Cheshire Cat at Night

At night when the owl swoops by on velvet wings,
And the bat tumbles around the inky sky,
When the nightjar takes flight with haunting voice,
When all kinds of enchantment fill the night,
And tiny insects on gossamer wings fly,
In that fleeting time when two worlds coincide,
Stealthy and secretive, unaware of the pleasure he brings,
The Cheshire Cat unfettered by imagination's flight,
Walks the warm indigo air leaving me no choice
But to reach out and try and stop the dawn's first light.

The moon's full face rides uncaring overhead,
Stars in school groups cross the midnight sky,
Their tinkling cosmic laughter faintly heard,
Shadows stretch and ease themselves below,
Scampering things and scratching things take flight
The Cheshire Cat moves among them soft and slow,
Trees bend obeisance to their regal feline friend
Arousing dozing wind chimes with gentle sighs
The world asleep does not hear him passing by
But in the dark there is the whisper of things unsaid.

As dawn streaks the morning sky so far away,
Time leaves night behind and ushers in the day,
The night turns unwillingly into a dark turquoise sky
All traces of indigo banished, make haste to pass me by
The creatures of the night swiftly find safe places to hide away
Fallen leaves roused by the morning breeze, try sleepily to fly,
In the East the sun’s blood slowly spreads its stain across the sky
Soft paws reach out to touch those of us who at night come out to play
The Cheshire Cat stretches and yawns, briefly straddling night and day,
Leaving just an enigmatic smile in mid air, he turns and melts away.