------Doobie------

Here am I
one of thousands
who fall 
or impale themselves
of their own free-will
on the sword of poetry
A full blown romantic, 
a realist,
a philosopher
left amazed,
inclined to accumulate
hundreds of questions.
Few answered
with other than
self-determined presumptions
about simple events,
natures marvels
or just about anything. 
Anything within eyesight 
or curious sounds 
that penetrate
my audio preception.
Anything is subject
for inspiration



Today it was Doobie,
a cat of 18 accumulated years.
Doobie is weak, frail 
barely able to move
Still....a surviver,
an outside cat in the country
where dangers are predominant,
a hard factor in daily existance.
The coyote, bobcat, cougar, racoon
and dogs, not to forget 
the territorial battles 
with other cats.
Yet, she made it!



 
Even before the long trek,
the move to Washington state,
she was faltering,
still she wanted to live.
The daily dangers 
no longer a threat
as she presented a desire
and her years established
a right to be a inside cat 
After the move
she appeared pleased
with her new home
content with now being
a house cat




Weeks passed before
noticable changes.
With each day passing,
I watched and wondered
about her determination to survive,
sometimes not eating,
then magically 
the appetite would reappear.
Waxing and waning,
slowly affecting
her strength and mobility
Each day, I resolved
and accepted
this could be the last
Still she possessed 
determination and will
to survive 
one more minute 
one more hour
one more day



I provided her the affection
the care, the attention
looking in her eyes,
not seeing any pain
and no evidence of discomfort
only faltering steps 
when she tries to come to me
wondering if it is truly
her survival instinct
or is she silently cursing
the body that won't shut down
and give her peace.



Perhaps Tomorrow

* Doobie gave up the fight around 7:30pm on 23 May, 2005