Cat Haiku

by Robert L Temple

You never feed me.
Perhaps I’ll sleep on your face.
That will show you.

You must scratch me there!
Yes, above my tail! Behold,
Elevator rump.

The rule for today:
Touch my tail, I shred your hand.
New rule tomorrow.

In deep sleep, the sound
Of cat vomitting hairball –
Will find in morning

Grace personified,
I leap at the closed window.
I meant to do that.

Blur of motion, then –
Silence; me: a paper bag.
What is so funny?

We meow out our angst:
“Thumbs! If only we had thumbs!
We could break much more!”

Now the Big Ones snore.
Every room is dark and cold
Time for “Cup Hockey”

The mighty hunter
Returns with gifts of plump birds –
Your foot just squashed one

You’re always typing.
Just try to ignore me as
I sit on your hands.

Want to trim my claws?
Don’t even consider it!
My cries will wake dead.

I want to be close
To you. Can I fit my head
inside your armpit?

Oh no! Big One has
been trapped by the newspaper!
Cat to the rescue!