Captive Species

Up and down the tiger goes, the cage is too small,
nothing is going to happen, there is something outside,
somewhere there is a fixed routine of feeding and the hose –
but nothing alarms for ever those eyes so calm and terrible.

Up and down the waiter goes, the bar is too small,
nothing is going to happen, I may finish my drink,
require another, or ask for coffee, be ready to pay the bill –
but nothing disturbs for ever a footfall deathly-professional.