At night the owl,
eyes focused, ears fixing,
descends on silent wings
to carry off rabbit, vole, snake,
claws in their backs,
beak tearing their flesh.
Fresh from my bath,
sheathed between cool cotton sheets
floated down on my bed
I sleep soundly,
dreaming of stuffed bears,
button-eyed, their wooly ears
stitched onto their heads,
hunting heffalumps,
until talons of daylight
break through my blinds.
In daylight, I am the vole,
prey to demons
gnawing at flaws,
clawing at dreams.
I fend off grasping talons
sharp beaks agape,
my sword and shield
cobbled together I pray
from stuff stern enough
to hold at bay
foes of my peccable self
until night comes
when I kneel by my bed
thankful for another day
saved from temptation,
delivered from evil,
my foil at rest by my side,
readied from breaking day.
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