Sibling Rivals

Twin terrors, infant imps
alike in their frenzied antics
unalike in their gendered
propensities, he at least submits
willingly to the daily brushing
of his long silky coat whereas
she typically female more
independently assertive, insists
she is perfectly capable of
grooming herself. He is the one
for whom preventive obstacles
represent challenges easily
overcome; she on the other hand
is fleet as the wind, gambolling
irrepressibly taunting him to
catch her, while both become
at times physically adversarial,
snarling and tussling, wrestling
in a whirling ball of sinew,
muscle, hair, teeth and claws,
abruptly melting into a nestling
confection of sibling comfort
and trust - evaporating just as
suddenly in the instinctive rush to
claim possession of their food
bowls, ferocious little thugs
of hard-wired animal survival.