Halloween

The havoc grin of cheshire moon -- that cat
sifting spotlight madness through gleaming teeth
so it drips heavy upon this midnight path
in puddles of oily rain that freeze my feet.
­­­­­­I splash across 14th Street glancing back
over my shoulder. She stretches out and yawns,
purrs an engine gust -- monoxide that
chokes my throat but somehow sickly warms
my frosted cheek and wet nose. There she leaps --
skyscrape-dodging grin of lunatic grace.
Behind me, above the trafficlights she keeps
up, tailing at a whisker's pace.
She stalks me with a smile I disbelieve,
her cheshire grin a mask to me, deceived.