Mesopredator

[TranquillityBase]

Mesopredator

high
on a haughty perch
watching
knowing the Art
of War
 
enigmatic
tail twitching 
hiding
what lies
behind
darting eyes
 
labelled aloof                 I would drop the word "labelled"
demanding
attention spurning
affection
a turn and a bite,
 
but conviction
the heart lacks
teeth
failing
to find purchase
 
betraying            I'm a bit confused by this line; who is doing the betraying, who is being betrayed?
we play 
predator
feeling like prey

I like the title for its etymological wordplay.

I found the line breaks effective in that they slowed me down in my reading.  I read it in my mind in a halting way which gives it an interesting rhythm.  I guess I did not pick up on as many double meanings as Duke did in his excellent critique, but I see them now, especially nice is that "read it two ways" of the 4th stanza.

I do think the last stanza needs work.  That may be why "betraying" confuses me, e.g., how it relates to the lines that follow.

Maybe just leave out betraying and go with "we play/predator/feeling like/prey"?

Tim