I crawled on my hands and knees
looking for a rat
as we played a game
of hide and seek.
The television was on
with sports scores and highlights
beaming into my living room
which was out of bounds.
I knew that if I turned on a light
it was cheating
but his black fur
hid him so well in the shadows.
I moved passed him three times
before spotting him on the bottom bookshelf
between This Terrible Sound
and The Shipwreck of Their Hope.
I tickled him to his utter joy
and he made ultrasonic laughter
which I imagined
I could hear.
copyright © 2023 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 