Tyler

He is a long cat

with long legs,

with a long back

and a long tail

His face has grown long, as old cats do.

His ears are long to twitch and turn

and tune to the slightest whisper.

His whiskers— long— are both

black

and

white,

matching the gray-black stripes of his sideburns.

His life has been long,

eighteen years

according to his teeth

which are gone now.

Still, he dances like a kitten,

sharing his sweet self

with those who love him.

Against the odds,

I wish him with me

for a long time more.

“Tyler” was the recipient of the prestigious CWA Muse Medallion in the poetry category, June 2018