Paul woke up Early on Tuesday.
He poured Early a cup of tea.
Early borrowed Paul’s car for errands
and stopped for scones.
Early returned home to find Paul
reading Blank Gun Silencer.
Paul returned his teacup
to the coffee table but missed the coaster.
Breadcrumbs littered the polished wood
around as well as on top of the ceramic dish.
As lunchtime approached, Early
stopped being himself, paused,
looked out the kitchen window
as a black cat stalked a roadrunner.
Paul felt sure this was a poetic metaphor
for the inevitable struggle.
The roadrunner easily evaded the cat,
leaping to the top of the fence.
Early faded out of existence
as the second hand swept toward noon.
copyright © 2020 Kenneth P. Gurney
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