“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. ”But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you tamed”.
Antoine de Saint Exupery, «Little Prince».
Once upon a time I had a cat -
A kitten walked up to my flat,
So little, so hard to ignore…
Why did she choose My door?
I never liked cats, I said “Now what?
You cannot come in! It’s absurd!”
She meowed as she heard my voice.
And I let her in(like I had a choice?!)
Weeks went by as we co-existed,
Her charms and ploys I resisted,
Refused to give in and admit
How much I loved that little “it”.
She made my apartment a Home
Never again I felt there alone.
Many a time I finished early my work
To rush back and take Her for a walk.
Soon She grew up and could leave alone,
And now I waited for Her to come home
She played outside and wondered around
Up for adventure, She usually found.
I worried, looking out the window
She’d be “kidnapped” by some “old widow”.
I spoiled Her with food and toys,
She amused me with tricks and ploys.
And then I had to move across the ocean.
The Customs said “No” to my “silly motion"
They told me “We have a quarantine, you know.
With all the respect, we mean: She can not go...”
I left Her with the other loved ones behind,
The pain in my chest did not change my mind
Later I called my Mom and asked about Cat
She’d change the subject or say She was great
I felt something. was wrong, and Mom finally said
She would always try to run to My old flat,
She wouldn’t eat or play, looked weak and sad,
And in a couple of weeks they found Her... dead.
I killed Her. I did. I committed a crime,
Walking away from Love, so true and sublime.
The question is: “What made me write all that?”
Now that I tell you that I've never had a cat…
Yan Roshin