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poetry by j matthew waters

Archive for the category “Animals”

23 Oct 2013
9 Comments

lennon’s cat


this cat lived with us for about a year
and she was far out

she spoke many languages
and loved to recite poetry
while sipping on herbal tea

we loved to listen to her stories
about how she always
caught her mouse
or made the dude next door
shit his pants

one day she left the house and never
came back

we just figured she needed a break
before spending the rest of her
lives at the dakota





october two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , ,
23 Jul 2013
8 Comments

going underground


ants are everywhere
and most of them are downright
industrious

then there’s the spiders
and snakes and whatever nature
wants to sally forth populating this place

ground squirrels moved in
last week
little sons a bitches

neighbor says he’s got a
groundhog
living up there
behind them bushes

wolves and foxes make for
scary noises
beyond the border trees at night

or maybe it’s just two cats without gloves
settling an old match
or better yet
an adolescent sasquatch
out looking for a snack

beneath all the commotion
subhumans thrive at
twenty-four seven bazaars
peddling flashlights and canteens
and cuban cigars
dark chocolate squares
and high-powered rifles





july two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Nature, Poetry and tagged , , ,
01 Jun 2013
20 Comments

when the lion awakens from within


so much dark emotion lives
deep within us
locked away from centuries past
idling by and unafraid
able to unleash itself
most unexpectedly

almost anything can spark
its wickedness
awakening from dormancy
and revealing bloody secrets
only unknown ancestors
ever knew subsisted

like a lion suddenly enraged
instinctively
you rush from out of the bushes
rip apart the innocent lamb
quietly devouring
any remnant of yourself




june two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
24 May 2013
16 Comments

the remorseful escort


you did not hear her last cries
trapped inside the carrier case
the confusion in her eyes
penetrating my mind
and weakening my spirit
as I attempted to justify
why the end must be near

as we drove away I wondered
if she really had reached
her ninth and final life
or would the ultimate solution
transport her someplace special
where there is no pain
and love is everlasting

missy kitty
Missy Kitty – Born 1999

twenty-four may two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
25 Mar 2013
14 Comments

when pigs fly


I was thinking about that hotel
in memphis
the old one a few blocks north of
beale street
where the ducks live on the roof
and every day around
happy hour
they take the elevator to the first floor
and march single file on the
red carpet
then hop-skip-and-flap
right into the lobby water fountain
for a late afternoon swim

as the patrons quietly applaud
I can’t help but imagine what a scene
it would be
if all of them were pigs


march two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , ,
20 Feb 2013
14 Comments

the scourge next door


when a rabbit moved in next door
and started posting personal ads
about wanting to have kits
i just knew it was time to move on

i didn’t want to meet him
so i stayed inside
and instead spied
through various windows
up and down the split foyer

his mail order bride
arrived via yellow cab
and sauntered up the walk
leading to the front door
confetti raining down
from a second story dormer

it doesn’t take long
for the little ones to mature
once born into their
new home blind and naked
and helpless
and before you know it
babies are hopping everywhere
and not any backyard fence
will keep them at bay

years after getting the hell out of there
i heard it didn’t take much longer
before the entire neighborhood
evolved into a gangland
patrolled by killer bunnies


february two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, In the City, Poetry and tagged , , , , , ,
19 Jan 2013

riding shotgun


i left the house unlocked
with all the lights on
and ventured down the hill
in the dark and in the cold

within minutes a warmth
surprised my cool thoughts
as the faraway wall of clouds
evolved into pink and red
and purple and blue

as my meandering mind
marched further away
a bright red fire truck
appeared out of nowhere
blasting its dominant horn
and racing to save the day

a trio of three dogs named
java and cocoa and sally
halted in their tracks
as if envious of the dalmatian
sitting at attention and
riding shotgun


january two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Nature, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
16 Jan 2013

hats off


screams crescendo down
the narrow roadway
bouncing off adobe walls
of old townhouses
bodies racing recklessly through the corridor
as arms and legs
flip exaggeratingly
propelled into the air
by the jerk and thrust of enraged bulls
whose nostrils snort fear
and blast steam


january two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , | Leave a comment
12 Dec 2012

high noon


the turtle faced
a daunting challenge
but figured if a one-trick pony
could beat a donkey
then offing the rabbit
with a colt forty-five
should be as easy
as getting
a gun permit



december two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
24 Nov 2012
2 Comments

Number One


Wherever the king
may range and roam
he forever remains
at the center
of the universe

Accepting of his role
with relentless pride
he’s fully aware
of his position
in the food chain

Strolling the perimeter
of their sacred land
he revels at the sight
of his pretty women
fixing his next meal


november two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Nature, Poetry and tagged , , , ,
18 Nov 2012
9 Comments

return flight


she found me weeping
on the river rock
my breathing shallow
my vision focusing
on distant memories
of an endless sky

i had no recollection
of the terrible beating
my body had taken
had barely remembered
how she lifted me up
and carried me away

she used her gifts
to mend my lonely heart
and tattered wings
restoring my will
to take to the sky
and find my way home


november two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Birds, Poetry and tagged , , , ,
07 Jul 2012
2 Comments

Tuesday’s Gone


There’s something about this coffee,
I said, speaking to the cat,
knowing she knew exactly what I meant
because she too drinks the same water
from this dated kitchen.

There’s nothing right about this place,
it seems to have lost
the intimacy it once had.
Instead of doing anything about it
I’m just going to drink
this lousy cup of coffee
and wonder where the angels went.



july two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged , , , , , ,
20 May 2012
14 Comments

Murder in Falaise, 1386


The sow was insane
doing what she did
to the little girl
while six piglets
stood by her side.

Given a public defender
the pig was dressed
in man’s clothes
and escorted
to the courthouse.

Witness after witness
described the horror
in which the animal
tore into the child
for no good reason.

In her defense
the accused cried
on the witness stand
as her six piglets
suckled away.

Quick justice found
the defendant guilty
sentenced to hang
in the city square
on the taxpayer’s dime.




may two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Based on a true story.
For more information google “1386 pig hanging”

Posted in Animals, History, Poetry and tagged , , ,
12 May 2012
3 Comments

right to remain silent


the dogs barking
three doors down
at two in the morning
entered my dreams
and made my night
slightly uncomfortable

in the morning
i brewed coffee
turned on the television
only to see myself
getting handcuffed
listening to miranda



may two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Dreams, Poetry and tagged ,
28 Apr 2012
8 Comments

counting crows


a murder of crows
bide their time
on the outskirts of town
waiting patiently
as the virus
gripped the residents
with fever and fear

death by death
the murder grew larger
their calls becoming
creepingly human
their strategy
instinctively fine-tuned
and well orchestrated

the devastation
never aired anywhere
no mention of crows
nor intelligence
of any pandemic
ever germinating
in an alien field


april two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Aliens, Animals, Birds, Poetry and tagged , , , , ,
21 Jan 2012
3 Comments

Little Wiener Dog


I love my little wiener dog
she loves me just the same
we like to go on little walks
and play the chasing game

Her legs are short and stubby
they move so very fast
her snout is long and funny
and good for hunting rats

We like to go into the woods
where she can sniff and dig
sometimes we come up empty
but mostly come up big

I love my little wiener dog
it’s such a simple fact
we like to cuddle on the couch
and munch on Scooby Snacks


january two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Animals, Poetry and tagged

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