mother cat
the city's not completely dead
life survives in the cracks
one looks at me with deep, wide eyes
as she ushers her kittens past
do you ever think about the mother cat
a youth of less than a year
raising her own new young things
while still wet behind the ears
she worries about her babies
she soothes them when they cry
she works hard to keep them fed
she grieves them when they die
theres no way that you knew, poor cat,
when you laid with that tom
nobody could explain to you
that you would be a mom
motherhood was short and hard
the winter cold and bitter
when it comes this time next year
she'll have another litter
- brak 7-4-2024