Benjamin, the rat

Benjamin, the Rat


New Year’s Eve jolly rockets in the air
champagne and cigar for the rich and
meths for the man lurking in the park
A rat, with prize boxer ears, came out
of the water drain by the kerb, such
devilish racket and it was its feeding
time; usually the town is dead at twelve
except for the man in the park trying to
find something to eat in the cafés bins,
like an outsized rodent. The rat looked
up and saw me seeing it, shrugged as to
say: “Humanity!”