pets

February 9, 2026

/ HJ / Leave a comment

it’s destroying me
this whole “don’t touch the animals” track
we’ve been on lately

i am a puppy croodler
a cat lap person
a snuggler and kisser of all animals around me
[so long as they let me]
and petting them
brings me
such joy

but with the swelling
and the red eyes
and the misery that benadryl barely breaks up at night
i suppose not touching the animals
because i am
*technically*
allergic
is a smart move

[but the misery could also be alleviated
with a soft and floofy cuddle…]

[damn body
attacking me
for one of the few good things in my life]

January 10, 2026

/ HJ / Leave a comment

loving and doting on and still kissing my animals
while holding their faces
and staring into their eyes
and stating
“i’m allergic to you”
is so silly
but so
satisfying

[and almost makes it feel
ok
to have this knowledge]

November 20, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

evening poems
while william shatner
tells me all the unexplained mysteries
i should care about

but i simply
don’t

~~~

big yawns
and split-up sleep
and hopefully getting
the cat to eat
or take her meds
at least

[almost done with this trip
and i’m so excited to sleep
in my own bed
once again]

~~~

but seeing people has been absolutely lovely —
i wouldn’t exchange that
for anything

[even eight uninterrupted hours]

November 18, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

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 8, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

sometimes
i’ll do things
with no one around
that are so dramatic
i feel
i obviously
did them for an audience

but am i
an audience of one

or do i really want to influence
the animals here
that i’m that
ridiculous

?

[either of these could be
the for real
truth]

July 26, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

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

February 7, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

at least our animals exist

i don’t know how much of the outside world
i could survive
knowing about,
if i didn’t have giant puppy dog eyes
and happy puppy tails
and gentle cat purrs
and quaint cat meows
and wonderful little animal cuddles
to come home to every day
[or even stay home with
when the world is too much]

[how in the world do folks without pets
(and with depression)
survive?]

September 11, 2024

/ HJ / Leave a comment

blanket cat
blankets me with all of her
over my lap
dripping down my leg
covering all she can cover
in one tiny cat body
the opposite of loafing
she liquifies and spreads out
and blankets herself
over
me

~~~

blanket cat, also because
the minute you have a blanket on your lap
she cannot resist
the draw
of a comfy place to sit

~~~

poor little puppy ear
did nothing to the dog who was near
but something happened
and the bite landed
and now a little notch is part of our Comps’s visage

poor little puppy ear
poor little puppy
you don’t deserve this pain
or fear
or anything bad
but at least your cute scruffy ear is going to look
so adorable with a tiny notch on the side

[the one piece of solace
we have to hang on to]

September 5, 2024

/ HJ / Leave a comment

when we first met
kip wasn’t sure
if they’d be able to be with me
long term
because i insited that i
didn’t like
dogs

but as they got to know me,
they saw how much i loved all animals
no matter what, so then they
started to share stories
of dogs being so good
and introducing me
to dogs here and there
and observing
and guiding
until the concept of us getting a dog
was raised, and i said “maybe”
that maybe, after volunteering with a shelter, became a “probably”
and then a “yes” with so many caveats
and then a “yes” with a couple of caveats
and by the time we helped Louka into our lives
those caveats were gone
and now i can’t even say whether i’m a dog or a cat person
in black and white terms
because i love all cats and all dogs
so so so so so so much

and i am so thankful to my kip
and my dogs
for teaching me just how wonderful
dogs are

July 31, 2024

/ HJ / Leave a comment

nothing
is as comforting
as an animal
who loves you

the trust inherent
when they fall asleep
precariously perched on your lap
or cuddle up
so close
they are lierally on top of your legs
and they feel emotionally comfortable enough
to completely pass out
dreaming eyes
running feeties
wagging tails
in their sleep
purring until you too
are dreaming

it’s a comfort i wish i could give others
but i’ll just have to count myself lucky
to have built it in my
hassle animals