Everything I Know About My Cat

She makes you sometimes want to be her
to balance so exquisitely
to purr
to be able to purr would be magnificent
to express contentment with
such visceral elegance.
She is soft and tidy and sinuous
she is perfect attention
and indifference.

Here is what I love most:
she sees a toy just so far away
she cocks her head to the side
crouches a little
her ears flatten out like the motion
of wings
the diamond pupils of her eyes grow large and black
the iris is gone, gone
and she pounces
all this in an instant.
She paws the purple mouse with a delicate touch
and backs away.
I crave this like a baby's laugh
will do anything to make it happen.

She is tensile warmth
next to me on the bed.
I know she doesn't sleep as I do
unconscious to all around me.
She is awake to my least stirring
offers the gift of her belly to rub
precious trust I think
but she will still nip
if it suits her
because trust is not her thing
and she is the chooser
never the chosen.