The tiger is abroad tonight.
It has not had food this day.
Now, lights among the trees, glimmers
of orange, black and orange
gliding against brown brush.
Ahead, blue light flashes over
a log, fat, rotten, fallen
at the trunk of a swayed palm.
The tiger crouches,
dropping flat, belly to moss,
head between tense forepaws,
nose low, eyes raised,
flashing the alert.The tail-tip twitches. Stripes stretch across the flank
as flesh curls taut.Legs wind up
set to be tripped andspring...