She is solitary,
silent as a spectre,
outside on another tentative
feline adventure.

On soft freckled pads, with
green eyes ever searching,
she sees, hears, smells the world
the way it is. Its cold reality.

Her white whiskered face
suddenly feral and hungry, she
runs, returns home to the warm lap
she has grown to trust.

No longer silent, but with rattling purrs,
she nuzzles and exchanges
a sandpaper kiss for the expected
morsel of love.

In that little Cat’s eye
that sees my soul and stares into
my heart
there is nowhere to hide.

I see my reflection.