by Kathleen Pratt
dear Charlie
dear Charlie
you brought me
great happiness
and joy
sweet quiet
golden moments
upon hours
upon days
watching the sun
flash its brightlight
off your yellow-orange
(regal gold, really)
fur, sparkling
with the glints
of golden
sunlight, flashing
watching you
play, chasing
birds, stalking
squirrels, climbing
trees, surveying
with supreme
satisfaction
your kingdom
(lion mane full,
and fluffy)
from the roof
of my car
dear Charlie
you helped me
slow down
helped me
sit, quietly
breathing
helped me
appreciate the
soft beauty
of the flowers
helped me
see all the
rich beauty
of each day
and each day
helped me
appreciate
with all my
Heart, appreciate
you, as you
made biscuits
on my belly
and breasts
(even when i
was wearing
good clothes,
you insisted!)
your nails
pulling, purring
softly, eyes
narrowing, kneading
all the tension and
tightness right
out of me, as
you curled
into a perfect
lovely catcircle
in my lap
dear Charlie
i will miss
your company
your stretches and
meows as you
talked to me,
climbing down
each day, many
times, each day,
several hours
each day, to
greet me
i will miss
your muddy
pawprints
on the hood and
roof of my car
i will miss
your insistent rubs
your sunshine gladness
your lolling porch rolls
your hellos
dearest
Charlie
this Heart
will miss
you . . .
-- kmp, 30 january 2004