Catnap
by Circe
Kitty naps in idleness on the kitchen floor,
curled up on a paper bag by the open door.
His emerald eyes are tightly closed, hidden from the sun,
slitted like two wounds about to come undone.
He smoothes his fur with
roughed tongue until he's satisfied,
then twists his body gracefully to clean the other side.
His silky tail sweeps and flutters like a bird unbound
as he swivels one ear slightly to identify a sound.
In happy guiltless pleasure,
with innocent delight,
he dreams about the mousie that he brought home in the night.
Padded paws stretch and flex as though in a race.
His claws extend, anticipating other mice to chase.
While in a dusty corner,
with gashes in its fur,
a crippled thing is dying
from the roar in kitty's purr.