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