Frozen

I saw the black cat

                          running

between us

                   before us

behind

the hair on my neck

                               quivered

as I recalled Sianna

                            the Siamese

that bit

               and snapped

at the red sweater

                           she wore

I screamed silent

                    shrieks of resentment

between females

                   a mother and a wife

paralyzed

                   between

as the black cat

nuzzled along my ankle

                  and Sianna bristled

along my spine.

                                                                  (1983)