every once in a while

lately I found that my patience wears thin
and ever so often the monster within
wants to crawl out hissing and scratching
and try as I like I can't always stop it.
it's self preservation more than anything else
because keeping it hidden takes up immense
force and power of will
so I thought to myself: why not let it escape and take part in the kill?
why not savor the moment and blow off some steam,
why deny it when I could join in the scream?
so every once in a while when it gets way too much
when the whining won't stop
just before that last drop hits the brink of the glass
I open the cage and give it free pass.
so it starts...
snarling and growling and stalking the prey
reaching to grab, swiftly pulling away
mastering the timeless game there's to play:
hide and seek, cat and mouse, always catching the strey
never missing a queue or skipping a beat
lounging teeth first at the neck of the weak.