the rat abides
even as I rake
disgusting turrets
moldy bread pasta
walls avacado hulls
he persists
he ravishes my compost
skittering claws
adept at de-lidding
the bin, dragging
my castoff detritus
to his ratty lair
I saw him once fat
shimmery, cocky
living Kingly
on my homemade lasagne
roast chicken
chile citrusy salads
I was on my way to court
-the ex-husband-extracting money
rat eyes glinting, entitled
over the compost
he postured – just
keep the food coming
I can’t call it a truce
disturb his nest again and again
more bricks on the compost
the arrangement is non-consensual
he will keep taking
as long as I keep eating
I could call it a metaphor
a scuttling long tailed image,
a symbol, a living
squeaking personification
It’s life imitating life
It’s a fucking rat