Open one eye to partly cloudy rays
between the slats of the window shade,
stippled through the thin burgundy curtains,
to see if the cat is still stone asleep
in the crook of your arm
while the A/C whirs.
Find that he
has one eye open to see
if you're ready to serve lunch or
tickle a swiveling ear,
or if you'll forget he is there
and give up your warm pillow
because you've gotten up to go pee.
Tut and click teeth
until his lid closes
and he stretches and yawns.
The afternoon is young,
the apartment a sauna,
scratch scratch his nose,
then your own, with a free hand
before slipping, for a few minutes more,
back to sleep.
between the slats of the window shade,
stippled through the thin burgundy curtains,
to see if the cat is still stone asleep
in the crook of your arm
while the A/C whirs.
Find that he
has one eye open to see
if you're ready to serve lunch or
tickle a swiveling ear,
or if you'll forget he is there
and give up your warm pillow
because you've gotten up to go pee.
Tut and click teeth
until his lid closes
and he stretches and yawns.
The afternoon is young,
the apartment a sauna,
scratch scratch his nose,
then your own, with a free hand
before slipping, for a few minutes more,
back to sleep.
