one thing (and there are many) to know about lisi the cat
is that he’ll rarely climb into a lap
but on the occasion that he does,
there is usually a blanket on the lap
like tonight
while i’m curled up in the light rose/pink chair
a pinkblue swirl sweet tart candy cane in my mouth
while i read towards the end of Octavia Butler’s
Parable of the Talents
in the quietly buzzing/whining glow of the floorlamp
braving the snowsurface
lisi the cat braving the snowsurface
for a morning garden walk
shaking off his paws now and then
as we make our way to the horsemint, past the strawbales and through the mini woods
_______
longest driveway in the world i say
800 miles long i say
after kicking my boots off at the back door
while stepping in from my two hour shoveling session
________
the crunch of snowmelt on knit hat
when i put hand to my head
moving over
on the short two block walk
between here and there
rowan and i stop
to crane heads up
to the v of tundra swans flying swift
and calling soft/smooth
overhead
illuminated in the days bright and
not-quite-yet orangeing/pinking light
i don’t know how to name the thing in me
that feels moved/blessed (but free from religious connotations kind of way)/heartbursty
to witness
such great migrations (~4,000 miles)
such feats of stamina and strength
and how this thing in me
has been there
since my young young years
something humbled
something in awe
aware of the power
in collaboration
moving over me
detail collector 