After Dinner Walk

Thin striped shadows of green and gold
are cast on the path by the bamboo grove
On my hands, pink rimmed fruit drips sweet 
as I wander the grove in my bare feet
Wind stirs my hair and blows the leaves
forming whispered messages from the breeze
Sand slips softly beneath my feet
counterpoint to the bamboo's swaying creak
a cough disturbs my reverie
a deep throated sound from close behind me
I turn to face two golden eyes
in a furry face of frightening size
The tiger yawns and licks his chops
my body is frozen and my heart stops
I'm thinking this is my last day
when he turns and silently walks away
A close encounter with sure death
it took me minutes to regain my breath
To face those claws and live to tell
I've never cherished my life quite so well
Reason for the harmless meeting?
the tiger too had already eaten

c. 4/5/09, B. Riley