Calvin
by Jan S.

The baby is mewling,
face burrowed in my neck.
A moment before
with his woolly black coat
puffed up
the panther came back,
body blending with the dark,
yellow eyes suspended
in midair.
Perimeters secured,
he seeks comfort now,
lowers himself to my chest.
Plaintive cries give way
to quiet, with
cool wisps of air
(those tiny nostrils)
soft and sweet on my face.
The day is done,
my own battles over,
their memory washed away by
the sound of purring
in my ear.

Jan S.