the rat crawled slowly 
upside down

he hadn’t taken to his new stance  yet
but the world already looked altered
and promising 
in its slanted and
 lingering  perspective

subways and freight trains 
rumbled and shook his path
barreling overhead 
causing wavy lines to form
 in his brain and visions
but he would not be shaken
 off this new orbit

the rat crawled slowly upside down
and knew he would outlast the storm
and see a new way not yet discovered 
by rat or man