Wind soft golden cat

Clear color of soothing swaying hay

Rainbow striped feline friend

Your love shouldered too large

A piece of my burden

And heavy on your tiny

Sacred cat bones

Cost you your life.

A breath of fresh air

And you ran sprouting

Leaps of happiness.

My fault

Your overlooked fear

That it was unsafe to close your eyes

For even a moment.

I know the moment

Danger struck you down

Into mother earth’s rich earth

No street corner gutter

No gawking boys were near

Thought still my fault

You died.

For me

You died for me

And have taught me

Caution

Abandon

And a lot

About

Love.

©  Susan Lynn Gesmer, The Cat Poems, 1980