A raccoon dines in candle light.
It eats corn on the cob rotated in its two hands.
Its nose and whiskers are greased with butter.
Salt grains decorate the kernels.
What in the dark I took as
the raccoon’s gigantic balls
are two dark grey rubber balls
that were thrown in to the trash by an unknown.
The raccoon is the center of my attention
until it wonders off
out of the kerosene lamp light
and away with an old New York Times
tucked under one arm
so it may check its retirement investments.
copyright © 2022 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 