There are many famous love poems out there from all different cultures and all different time periods. Today, though, we were asked to write a new kind of love poem. A platonic love poem, to be exact. Essentially, you couldn’t write a poem about romantic love, but all other love was encouraged. To no one’s surprise, I chose my kitty, Rosalyn. I also decided to write this in more of a letter sort of way, as it feels more authentic to me and my voice. If you don’t like cats… well, you’re wrong. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them and share them with others. However, I guess you could think about your dog or other animal friend instead, although thinking about my adorable little Nugget makes this poem so much better.
You may remember the day I came to your temporary home to find a new friend. You were asleep when I walked by at first, but I knew I had to meet you, so I walked around for a bit before returning. You opened your beautiful green eyes, stared at me, then stood up up slowly. I knew then my life would never be the same.
What you may not remember, though, is that fateful day in December, almost six months since I brought you home. We were in that cramped little apartment at the top of the stairs, but it was ours and only ours. I was sitting on my bed, watching something on TV and you put one paw in m lap, then tentatively put the second one right next to it. Do you remember me holding my breath, unable to move in case it scared you? You curled up like a cinnamon rolls, exactly like the time when I met you for the first time. I have a photo as proof, just in case.
What you may not remember is that awful day when I took you to the vet because we couldn’t figure out what was wrong. You seemed sadder than normal and a little more grouchy. You weren’t eating and you weren’t purring. They did some tests and said you had an unknown blockage, so they sent us home with some medications to see if it would help. I promised to bring you back the next morning, which I did. Your probably didn’t know I cried all the way home, terrified they were going to say whatever was stuck hadn’t come loose and the best thing to do was say goodbye. Thankfully, it all worked out. I have a photo as proof, just in case.
What you may not remember is moving into this new house. It’s the fifth one since we decide to become roommates. Boy, do you hate moving almost more than I hate moving. You paced through the house the first day and yelled at the top of your lungs. You explored every corner, making sure you knew each nook and cranny. And then you found the back room, which was fully lit with sunshine as the sun set over the mountains. You sat right in the middle of the floor and tilted your head upward in greeting, letting its warm embrace surround you. Do you remember smiling in that moment? Every now and again, I catch you in the same spot, with the sun all around you and that same smile on your face. I have a photo as proof, just in case.
We’re nearing in on six full years together. It’s crazy how time have passed. There are so many other moments in that time period that I replay over and over in my mind, especially when the day was long and the day was rough. You’re pretty good about checking in too, though. I wish I could look at every single memory, but we all know that’s not possible. Luckily, I have lots of photos, just in case.
Meter, Rhythm, and Rhyme 