Midnight under paper moons
A stray calico's claim to rest
On the veranda's creaky wood
Guarding shadows 'til the west
Gazing out at neon streets
Whiskers twitch at distant beats
In this New Mexico night
A tiny king of solitude
Whiskers on the veranda rule
Furry sentry beneath the dulcet cool
Of a Santa Fe summer breeze
Prowling dreams down neon tees
As motel signs cast stripes of light
The feline king perks up his ears tonight
Listening for the scurry of feet
Or wheels on gravel, stars unique
Gazing out at desert shadows deep
Ears attuned to whispered secrets keep
In this quiet desert town
A secret kingdom sways unsound
Whiskers on the veranda reign
Midnight monarch in a neon game
Beneath the stars that glimmer bright
A ghostly guardian takes his flight
(Bridge)
As dawn ascends the eastern rim
Our feline friend slinks to a whim
A fleeting shadow in the dawn's rays
Melting into Santa Fe haze
Whiskers on the veranda rule
Faithful guardian of the neon cool
A tiny king of half-remembered hymns
Melts away into New Mexico's limbs
And when the morning breaks the night
The calico's song fades out of sight
Leaving only neon's glow
Echoes of a desert saga long ago
