February 19, 2026

trying to coax
the cat downstairs
to get her med
so she can go through life
sans digestive strain and pain
and yet
she’s a cat
and doesn’t understand
the cause and effect
[or even the daily proven math
of ‘you don’t get your breakfast
until we force this gross liquid
into your mouth’]
so she whines
and complains
and won’t let us catch her
[it’s a silly game of cat and mouse
when the cat is the mouse
and the humans take on
the feline part
but it’s all for good
we swear
we keep telling her
it’s all
for your own
good…]

[if only cats understood complex concepts and the english language
then maybe this daily morning process
wouldn’t be so much of a
hassle]

November 23, 2025

i wish we had more windows in our house
that were accessible to the animals as they are
so they could gaze out
at the outside world
and be entertained
from the comfort and safety of our own home

[but the cat has the upstairs window
accessible from a hop onto a litter box
and a jump onto a dresser
and, of course, a skip through the curtains]
[and the dog has the downstairs window
accessible from the couch she probably shouldn’t jump on
or the other downstairs window
accessible from a lap
she definitely shouldn’t jump on]
[so i suppose all can be/is well]

November 18, 2025

what a nightmare
of a night
what with screaming cats
and whining puppies
and keeping us up all night
[especially when we were both so excited
to go to sleep so early
and sleep in just a bit]
but
but
but
however
i’d rather have these animals
and have them interrupt our sleeps
with their hassles
than not have them at all
and that’s the truth

[damn, love is crazy]

October 20, 2025

less
meds
for this cat—
you’d think that would make her
more likely to accept
the singular med
once a day
we have now

but no

instead she has run from me
every chance she’s gotten
this morning

let’s see if in this moment i can
trick her into letting me
catch
her…

success!

July 26, 2025

that was
the greatest part of my morning

the greatest morning

a cat on my lap
enjoying the scritches
from my left hand

and a puppy at my feet
leaning into me
enjoying the scritches from my
right hand

and though i got no writing done
and it only lasted about ten minutes

i was in a blissful heaven
the whole time

June 5, 2022

we’ve repurposed a large tupperware container
into where we put all the pieces of paper
and threads of former toys
computer has ripped through
with her sharp puppy teeth
and we call it her art collection
and i love it

we also have
two of her puppy teeth,
molars that fell
outside
rather than down the throat,
and we’re thinking of putting them
in her art jar as well
because she did make them
and they are
art

~~~

the puppy has learned
that the top of the soft crate
can help her see
over the room-fence-divider,
and also
can keep her cool
on hot summer days

(now to see how long
the zippered canvas
will hold her weight
as she grows…)

~~~

Louka
was cat-like
in the way that she was
not very dog-like

Computer
is very cat-like
in many mannerisms
and play-approaches
and active qualities

(the passive
and the active
cat-like qualities)

(meanwhile our cat
is more monkey
than any other creature,
so…)