When The Coyote Comes - Fernando Ortega

Midnight in the yard

A dog begins to bark

The next-door neighbor

Shuts her kitchen blinds

Up on the moonlit rise

Joe-Jack sleeps outside

On an old gunnysack

Filled with soda cans

Out across the lawn

2 cats have their fun

Epi and Lou on the slippery grass

They tumble and jump in a crazy dance

Look up at the stars like they’re in a trance

Climb the willow tree

Epi and Louie freeze

They don’t blink or breathe

A sudden danger

In the atmosphere

Walking down the road

Sniffing as he goes

An old coyote

His eyes are yellow green

Trickster on the prowl

Throws back his head and howls

The night heats up when the coyote comes

He won’t rest till his work is done

Critters flee when he comes around

Some won’t make it home

Life is never what it seems

Pull me from this waking dream

I should have come inside

So much guilt, so much regret

Don’t let my life be over

Let me come inside

I wanna come inside

Epi and Lou run across the yard

They look to the window but it’s much too far

They turn and race for the broken car

Barely make it in

The night heats up when the coyote comes

He won’t rest till his work is done

Every critter flees when he comes around

Some won’t make it home