Poetry With A Mission



...a thought provoking poetical exercise.

Under Surveillance

There he is! We've just spotted him, Sir, and he is heading our way,
And he isn't wasting any time. Same fellow as yesterday.
He’s a very slick operator. Too clever for words, I say,
And he has just scaled the fence, Sir, made it look like it was child’s play.

He has just crossed their garden, Sir, even gone through a flowerbed,
And now he appears to be lurking around the owner’s car shed.
He’s looking through the window, Sir, and someone's left the door ajar,
So perhaps we should close in now, just in case he gets in their car.

Hang on. He’s moving away. Ops! We have just lost camera three.
Could you give us a moment, Sir? This happens occasionally.
I hope we haven’t lost him, otherwise…wait, it's just come back on.
There he is! He’s by the garden path, fortunately hasn’t gone.

I think we might need more men, Sir, he’s as slippery as an eel,
And he has a nose for the goods, so who knows what next he might steal.
He’s sneaking down their driveway now, keeping close to the shrubs and trees.
Yes, he’s as sly as a little fox, slips in and out like the breeze.

He has just gone out their gate, and is moving quickly down the street.
He’s incredibly agile, Sir, and very silent on his feet.
It won’t take much to lose him...hang on...looks like he’s going next door.
Quickly now, zoom in, zoom in. Ahh! We have just lost camera four.

Okay, switch to camera two. No, no luck. Try camera one.
There he is! He's just by the alleyway, now we might see some fun.
He’s moving far more quickly now. There's something in his sights, no doubt.
Thus, we'd better get the lads down there, and grab him on the way out.

Ahh! Not again! Camera one has gone down now. He’ll get away.
Oh no! Now all the others have gone down too — oh dear, what a day.
Wait! Camera one has come back on, I gave it a heavy tap.
There he is! Oh no! It’s too late, Sir, he just shot through the cat-flap.

By Lance Landall