Summary

Bennett's single page chapter is a vague description of a past event. The unnamed and genderless narrator uses the past tense to describe a morning when a ratcatcher arrives at the home. The narrator was expecting the ratcatcher but had consumed three beers the night before and did not feel like waking up when the ratcatcher arrived. The narrator lists several animals s/he wanted to see in his/her dreams and lamented about exiting bed to receive the ratcatcher. The narrator made coffee and prepared both of them with two sugars and milk, copying what the ratcatcher asked for because the narrator remarks s/he was not yet there and did not know how s/he liked drinking coffee (29).

Analysis

Bennet provides readers with yet another free verse poem similar to the one included in “Voyage in the Dark,” revealing a writing...