Poem P: Percival Clemens

My cat is a piece of liquid night,
A swimmer in its chilly depths,
Yet imbued with feet of light…
When the porch-candle flickers through the frost,
Said paws drawn him near
To twin his inky length
Ropelike
‘Round my shivering ankles,
And knead his flame-sharp claws betwixt my trembling fingers,
Grumbling, mumbling all the while,
Rumbling deep in his dragon's throat
His misty breath smells of secrets
Mouldering in the dampened leaves…
But up! When the light goes out,
His fellow shadows swarm
And swallow him back again
To wander ‘mongst the creeks and trees,
Leaving me
With empty hands
But warm again.

Note: this poem is part of a challenge I undertook to write a poem for every letter of the alphabet. Percival Clemens is my cat.