“Purr”

for Heather

Lay your head on my shoulder, Kitten, and smile to reassure me that you’re content.
I’ve scattered sorrows and doubts on the floor in front of you,
expectantly waiting for you to arrange the bits in some miraculous way;
to free me from the bitterness I keep creating.
But you just purr and cock your head, a sweet smile forming on the face of a friend.
I’ll leave the pieces of shattered heart exposed on the floor for a while,
hoping that someone will take pity on the mess and offer to help put things in order,
but I can see it in your eyes, even as you refuse to tell me the truth;
this is my mess to clean up and I’ll be doing it alone.
Lay your head on my shoulder, Kitten; your smile will reassure me that I can be content too.

4.22.2008