With Painted Words

Shadow

by Catherine Marinelli

Thank you for feeding me

And giving me fresh water

And those treats in the blue bag

Every night before you go to sleep

They taste like salmon

Sometimes like chicken

They’re both good, thank you

I’m sorry I get clingy

And bathe myself all the time

You bathe a lot too

Sorry that time I lost my claw

In that rocking chair of yours

In the corner of the room

Where you like to sit on your laptop

Sometimes you let me sit there too

For long amounts of time

And it makes me really happy

You let me fall asleep there

Let me burrow my head wherever I please

You also let me sleep with you

Curled behind your knees

And you don’t move all night

I’m sorry I play with all those strings

Like the one hanging from that robe

And on all those shoes

And that neon one you like to play with

Sometimes you drag it and play with me

And we share that neon string

The one you wrap around the fingers

That pet under my chin

And curl around my tail

Thank you for the occasional belly rub

That I first saw you give that damn dog

Who you tell to leave me alone

Thanks for that

Thanks for everything

And just so you know

Meow means I love you