Nibbles
for M
Our little friend,
one minute pottering about
monitoring her domain as usual -
us, the neighbour’s dog, post-man, that cat,
the hole in the hedge and the jackdaws;
her weather-vane whiskers
testing the temperature, wind
alert for the sound of wheels on gravel
and scrunchy cellophane (meaning food) from the back-door.
Sometimes, even, some bird-food to be scrounged.
As for sharpening of her teeth,
she was never at a loss for wood
or wire to gnaw.
Always socially up for a sofa-visit
among the cushions and laps,
scurrying around for baggy sleeves or jumper pouches to burrow into.
Ever free-ranging for all her certainty of attention
and surety of belonging - being safely Home -
which never deterred her scampering from aerial monsters
(wood-pigeon, rather than hereditarily geographic condors)
her instincts long and true.
She knew in her tiny toes and genes that the sky hid danger.
Also that she was a first rate,
fast-track runner,
so quick she was gone in a twinkle before anyone knew
or heard/saw a pip or jot.
What a great honour for uppity hominids
to very rarely be approached by her!
albeit, mainly for edible reasons.
I can just hear her squealy demand;
What've you got? Is it nice?
She, (that carer person) is late
with our breakfast - help!
On occasion, in summer,
its a case of dunking in the kitchen sink, clambering over the crockery;
or going for a ride in a picnic basket
on the scooter
(to scarey women who cut toe nails - yikes).
She was our watch-out girl-guardian
knowing her familiars, who did what
to the point of keeping an eye on curtains, windows,
the creak of a door, voices and their timetables.
In fact, she trained us quite well!
Though why we added her fave pepper
with a memorial crystal and pebble
by the garden Buddha
under the golden tree
- which you put there years ago -
when we buried her today
I cannot think!
You, her first and rightfully final face.
Rest in peace, in pastures new
and else, worthy little companion!
May the patter of your teeny heart
be long remembered in ours.
2024.