Day 26 — Obligatory and Bonus Cat Poem

Quiet next to purring
this cat is not
a lap-sitter
He lies alongside me
on the bed,
at night he braces my knee
and slides up my hip.
In faithful imitation
he reaches a paw out
to tap my head
and is content
when I stroke his
long bony fingers
hooked over mine.
We admire the long
curved toenails together
and he looks up at me
long bristly whiskers
measuring his gaze,
underscoring his thoughts,
the tip of his tail
curling and uncurling
until – one kiss too many –
he bolts to take a walk.