Fox On The Corner (Poetry)

Crouched on scrubby grass
the outcast runt of
this season’s litter
the cub gazes round
watches the morning

A magpie mocks him
he’s out of his time
daylight should find him
back safe in his den
not loitering here

The fox ignores him
stretches ... yawns ... then sniffs
among clumps of weeds
for any small scrap
the birds may have missed

The warm sun seems kind
he chews on a crust
fortuitous find
the magpie resents
and rants off again

An insolent look
as good as a shrug
fox takes one last look
then disappears through
a gap in the hedge