Stray

Saw a stray cat on the street,
Quite rare, for where I live;
My efforts to entice it held
Like water in a sieve.

It crouched beneath a car, ignoring
My well-meaning pleas,
The fear apparent in its eyes
Increasing by degrees.

It bolted ‘cross the avenue,
A move uncalculated,
And vanished on its journey
To wherever fate awaited.

I had to leave and do not know
The way that things turned out.
I’m not too optimistic, but
There’s always room for doubt.