One day, mid-day, maybe noon, not before,
there came a loud crashing and thrashing at door.
I was resting from reading an old poem of Poe’s,
and I’d just laid back when I started to doze.

The noise now awoke me, and my senses still slow,
a flutter then flapping, would stop and then go.
Despite my respite, the disquiet resound.
My rest, now disturbed – I had barely lain down.

Now, New Mexico’s warm, most the year round,
I’d left my door open, the screen door ajar.
The sound that was coming was near, not far.
Upon lifting my head, from askance I espied
Morris, my cat, trying to get inside.

“Morris!”  I cried, “Just open the door!”

Now, this was a smart cat, he’d opened before
the door with his claws, yet I still wasn’t sure
what his problem could be, what the racket was for.

I then…