PERCEPTION

Stopping short 

On my walk,

I saw a doorway 

Across a waterway,

The ripples 

A flutter! 

Two bright lights above 

Lit up the dark,

Reflections in the water ,

I tried to ponder! 

A closer look 

Gave me quite a spook,

For no wonder ,

There wasn't a doorway 

Above a watery step way,

No lights shone in the water to light up the way,

It was ....

To my dismay 

A magnificent 

Black Panther! 

Who Stopped by the river 

To quench his thirst,

Sending me all a quiver ,

More or less a shiver!

Squinting in the dark,

I perceived a spark

Of annoyance,

Black ears spiking

In the darkness,

Putting a face to it,

A red tongue

Lapping up disquiet,

And a 'just you wait '

Attitude,

In his stance! 

Flipping a long black tail 

In arrogance! 

Through a strangled throat ,

And between

 the assumed moat,

 The bridge between us 

 Seemed to disappear!

My numb legs 

Took flight on auto pilot,

The fastest trip out! 

What a misconception

Could do .

Really 

A life and death 

To do!

The Master laughed aloud,

T' s what you allowed,

My dear,

Your mind to perceive,

For it did deceive,

An almost costly conceive! 

"Mind it ', 

Is my solution!