so I wrote about all sorts of serious stuff, then encountered an advertisement with these cats who were presented with the stuff of perfect pleasure, then found myself writing about them and that, and then wrote of dogs as well for ecumenicity’s sake—enjoy (please)
cosmic cats
(dramatic dogs)
1
nice cats
noisy
cats
could be siblings
certainly assuaged by
special cat food
mom has used the last
for them
and they are happy
for the moment
thankfully
dad is at the store
getting more
good food
longer-happy cats
what more
could
pet parents want
2
cats
have a k
and comic sound
while
dogs
is softer
and adorable
both were wild once
and even
now
we should take
care
for impulse
becomes instinct
upon
how they’re treated
so
treat them like home
and they will live with you
and guard you
love you
in their trained
and wild
ways
3
there are allergies
also pills
and sprays
and shots
I was allergic
to my cat
which I found out
ten years into having her
so guess who stayed
she said I could
as well
we keep our pets
and they
keep us
and so the ordered
more chaotic
world
is kept a little better
for a while
longer
c l couch
(our pets, of course, include more kinds of creatures)
photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Mom’s Day
x
When she was alive
And I had friends on campus
I got notes from her
From time to time
And a card on Mother’s Day
Sometimes for Father’s Day
She could get confused
She was a cat
Who when sick
Or when we were moving
I brought to my office
To let her sleep under the desk
Or rub my face
When I was working
As was her way
x
And to make friends of peers
Students
Even the cleaning staff
Who were friendly people
So was she
She couldn’t be a mother
But she let me
From time to time
Be a mother
(also a father, keeper, friend, target)
And sent me notes and cards
For Mom’s Day
And other reasons
When I was on campus
And had friends there
While she was a good friend
A cat-child
In all places
x
x
happy Mom’s Day to all moms
x
C L Couch
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x
Photo by Valeria Zoncoll on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
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I Hope the Dogs and Cats Are Well
x
I heard stories about them
Early in the war
Not so much now
There might be zoos
I remember that detail
In a story by Unamuno
About the end of the world
And the wild animals getting out
But dogs and cats need our help
They always do
We made them that way
Adapted them for use
And took away their other capabilities
How could they stand up to wolves
Or bears or badgers
Wolverines
Or unknown men and women
With machine guns
Who have no familiar smells
Nothing about them
To indicate
Friend
Or family
Or home
Cats and dogs might do all right
With welcome from the stranger
But in battlefields
The anonymities are too severe
And the cruelties
Tend to pile up
Where did they go?
Where are the ones I was protecting?
I do not know anyone
Anything
Anymore
x
C L Couch
x
Photo by troy williams on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Feed the Animals
x
I wish all cats
To be adopted
And dogs
And chinchillas
Guinea pigs
Hamsters
Snakes
(not with hamsters)
And everything
That makes a pet
x
The rest returned safely
To the wild
To wild places kept safe
x
I know we eat animals
And wear parts
Of them
I guess we have to
Though there are other
Sources of protein
And for leather
So that we could live well
Without the slaughter
x
There are industries
That would have to be
Taken care of
First and well
(keeping jobs,
well, transferring
maybe
transform
if not transmogrify)
Before such universal
Change
x
But we can do that
We can do so many things
We can do this
x
We can restore so many
Things
Establish new traditions
Remembering the old
Not in chagrin
But to say
We were that
Now we are this
x
coda
x
We’d have to feed our carnivores
The large and small
The wheel turns
Maybe there are substitutes
We’d have to find out
Very carefully
And thoroughly
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C L Couch
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