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wild cat in the jungle
suburban pussy in the park
eyes fixed on its prey

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only if one were a serious tiger, but tigers are seldom serious,
have been known to take up life at the circus, to prefer to leap
through various hoops of fire, negotiate obstacle courses, do
anything to avoid the stinging wasps of whips and so live up
to their growling reputations, though with mistress joy who cracks
the air instead of their skins, they are known to wrinkle their
lips ironically, lie down like butter in sunlight, hum golden
through rainforest rooms, sweet with desires beyond flesh

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