Common Leopard

The camouflage’s

all wrong. Dark orange

with black spots,

when it should’ve been

a jigsaw of army

green and brown.

But seeing her manoeuvres

—the element of surprise,

the holding back—

who’s to say she’s not

an experienced irregular

who knows the terrain.

From behind

the hedge she floats up,

a swarm of one;

or on willow leaf,

the wings folded,

grows to half her size.