King

 [King]

 

a cat may look at a king

it’s up there for thinking

though what she may see has no knowing

 

a mood swing is a commoner element

signs of showing he’s intelligent

though strangely indifferent to sentiment

 

a cats-eye notes him on his throne

slumped in the dejection zone

emit a low administrative groan

 

a dog sometimes, the way he barks orders

romps with fellow cross-sworders

or glares fiercely at transgressed borders

 

a bird other times darting about

a hair’s breadth away from being found out

winging it while he has the clout

 

a pool is peace to him

makes him feel like he’s in the swim

while it only keeps him vim

 

a kidney may be thrown her way, sardines

chin tickles, tummy rubs, the stroke routines

better than the other extremes

 

news drives him into a deep absorb

this is what comes from having an orb

his portraitist adds an extra daub

 

a penny for his thoughts

is a proposition fraught

best not guess is her best thought

 

his subjects by and large think he’s great

but she’s lost interest in the head-of-state

and wanders off through the garden gate

 

sleep is nice in the halls of power

whiling away a dreamy hour

her neurons soft as a spring shower

 

though even then when time is down

a cat may look at a clown

in her dream trying out his crown