we met,
the cow kitty and I,
when my realtor
showed his house —
he checked me out
the hood is his
several blocks of it
the story of how
the cat came back
from Reno
to be mine is
part of his charm.
strong
street smart
with a squeaky falsetto meow.
whines about hot weather
loves tuna water tea
Mickey gives me
dead rats
occasional birds
in my closet
he gives me
routines
reasons to open cans
warmth on the blankets
in the chilly dawn
he emerges from
under the honeysuckle
and meows
when my car drives up
Mickey rolls in the dirt
blinks
in cat love
at me.
he drinks
from the kitchen sink
sleeps
in the catnip
he loves
water and chases
the stream
from the hose
when dancers
come over
he walks among us
and parks in the kitchen
when the party starts
when I sit on the front porch
for cool air
he takes the other rail
when I work in the garden
he sleeps there
when I take a road trip
he comes back over the fence
meowing
scolding
telling me not
to go away again.
lovely
black and white
cow kitty
with attitude.
River Brown 
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