Night Raider

Something getting its Christmas dinner early

from the garbage in that narrow alley

that flanks our apartment-block.

Gorging so frantically

it can't hear the noise it makes

rattling garbage-can lids, ripping skins

of newspaper-wrapping off the choicest refuse.

This to the sleepy steadiness of rain falling,

so that I get a picture of my animal

head down in garbage, busy, steam ascending

like a grace from its breathing coat.