Shorts: A Collection

25. The Black Cat Coming (Poem)

"Come lie here and tell me your woes,

I charge by the hour but that's how it goes.

Tell me your life; you said it was strange..."

(So the man on the couch began to relate):

"Not long ago, not long since, now,

I began to have troubles which churned me about.

Drinking was a problem; smoking was, too;

Gambling a vice; drugs changing my mood.

"I came home one day and saw a black cat

Outside my gate, not moving, just sat.

I thought nothing of it until the next day

When I left for work with the cat by the gate.

"After a bad week at work I nearly got fired,

Each waking moment I was drained and tired.

I couldn't care less for the feline presence

For my life was breaking in desperate measures.

"A day or two later, I can't remember when,

I was outside the door when I saw my friend.

He was sat on the path just looking at me,

Looking quite healthy but still I felt pity.

"Now usually I'd kick it and walk away

But the look of despair just made me obey.

I took it inside and gave it some food-

I think it liked it by the way it mewed.

"Anyway, this cat would appear most days

And we had a routine of our regular ways-

Milk by the oven, food by the light,

A stroke and a chat and then bed for the night.

"I liked this cat, although it wasn't mine,

As it gave me a sense of purpose in spending my time.

Soon enough, though, my habits caught up

And the cat stopped coming as I started to smoke.

"I got worse and worse and spiralled downhill,

My days were empty with nothing to fill.

I realised then that I missed the cat,

I longed for the steadiness I otherwise lacked.