Merely Missing One Day

Merely missing one day
the semi-human tiger
yearning for hope
and thirsting for hunger,
in a world
underfed all the way

Bull-rings in the afternoon
scotching the whizzkid –
fleeting, ephemeral –
outside as a runner,
sung in sight
and dying, ageing soon

Shafts of laughter
crashing in unbold –
iron and steel –
fox eyes this summer,
cunningly
living ever after

Wave after wave
hereafter smashing
spray rewards
pinned on for medals,
counting
freely breaking waves . . .