He claws the living room furniture,
eats bugs,
paint chips,
lint.
He chews electric cords,
window shades,
pries the hair from his tail.
He chews electric cords,
window shades,
pries the hair from his tail.
He swallows the hair.
"What is wrong with him?" I ask.
"He's just a baby," she replies.
She allows him on her side of the bed.
In the night, I am awakened
by curious paws
marching across my chest.
Mornings, he follows me
A peculiar warbling sound rises
from his throat.
He leaps from floor to couch
then tends to his asshole.
When I eat, he eats.
When I nap, he naps (atop me).
When I pee, he reports to his litter box.
When I am in the shower, he perches
The stench would turn back armies.
I resolved to maintain distance
heart open as wide
Mornings, he follows me
around the house,
shamelessly soliciting attention.
Having been up for hours
chasing ghosts
shamelessly soliciting attention.
Having been up for hours
chasing ghosts
and god knows what else,
his fleet disposition
his fleet disposition
collides with my waking stupor.
He will burst into a full sprint.
He will burst into a full sprint.
A peculiar warbling sound rises
from his throat.
He leaps from floor to couch
to coffee table,
back to couch,
back to couch,
off my torso
and into the next room,
emerging seconds later
and into the next room,
emerging seconds later
as cool as a hundred-dollar bill.
Taking him in my palm,
he licks condensation
Taking him in my palm,
he licks condensation
from my ice water,
licks my chin, lovingly,
licks my chin, lovingly,
then tends to his asshole.
When I eat, he eats.
When I nap, he naps (atop me).
When I pee, he reports to his litter box.
When I am in the shower, he perches
behind the clear plastic liner
observing a kaleidoscope of movement
with childlike wonder.
Once, our vet informed us
observing a kaleidoscope of movement
with childlike wonder.
Once, our vet informed us
he had intestinal worms.
The worms fed on the bugs,
lint, and things.
We administered medication,
but the meds caused his litter to sour.
We administered medication,
but the meds caused his litter to sour.
The stench would turn back armies.
I resolved to maintain distance
pending a full recovery.
We laid towels beside the fireplace
to seduce him from the bed,
only to awake with his curled mass
to seduce him from the bed,
only to awake with his curled mass
'round my head,
motoring like a crazed engine,
a ticking bomb,
sleepy paws outstretched,
heart open as wide
as the bedroom door
I failed to latch.
**First published in Peeking Cat Poetry magazine
I failed to latch.
**First published in Peeking Cat Poetry magazine
