I empathize: six days stuck inside our house.
Believe me, I’ve tried to snatch you in mid-flight
and walk you out the door, but your agility
far out paces mine.

Rest assured, the swatter is still in the garage
and, in accordance with my beliefs,
you don’t deserve to die. I suspect
you’ve a mate somewhere who’s sent out
an APB and is frantic for your return.

This morning you browsed the mail
with special interest in my timeshare’s dues –
they’re about to rise again – and the pleas
charities send out at least ten times a year.
You also scanned some phrases for poems
I scratched out during the night.
I couldn’t tell if you were impressed.

Have I mentioned we’ve had several frosted nights
and our maples are in autumn bloom?
The slugs have planned an Octoberfest
and the wild birds are eating seeds
as fast as I can fill their feeders up.

Anyway, before you go – and I hope
you’ll find the open window soon –
I want to thank you for motivating me.
After chasing you from room to room
several times a day, I’ve taken
a mild interest in mild exercise.

# # #
Carolyn Martin’s poems and book reviews have appeared in publications throughout North America, Australia, and the UK, and her fourth collection, A Penchant for Masquerades (Unsolicited Press) 2019. She is currently the poetry editor of Kosmos Quarterly: journal for global transformation. carolynmartinpoet.com

Photo: Simon John-McHaffie