Feeding the Cats

I open eyes to Mojo, a bundle of shadows
pressed against my chest, purring and kneading
me awake, and patting my face with sharp little paws.
Through the open window drift Luna’s meows,
her triumphant declaration of a corpse at the backdoor,
usually a half-chewed, dawn-grey mouse.
Green jewels observe me as I slide off the bed
and rub the top of the Mojo’s persistent head;
her long tail springs up, an exclamation mark,
punctuating the milky light that seeps into the gloom
of the silent. dream-saturated bedroom.
My cat shadow accompanies me down the stairs,
jumping of the bottom step, sliding under chairs,
and skips ahead to sit by her bowl,
while I admit Luna, who stalks in from the cold.
Two bowls, encrusted with food and fishy stink,
drop into foamy hot water that’s filling up the sink.
As I scrub them with a sponge until they shine,
Luna stretches her front legs to the draining board,
butting my leg and pulling my pyjama cord.
Both cats watch as I dry up their dishes,
cat food is forked out and water replenished,
circling and yelping as if they are famished,
in a morning routine I hope never finishes.

Kim M. Russell, 2017

My response to Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Saturday’s Mix – Routine

Teresa welcomes us  back to Saturday’s Mix with a prompt about routine. She says that most people enjoy having a routine, something they can count on every day, following the same pattern when they get up in the morning or get ready for bed. I agree with her about teachers and the consistent routine of their day; it used to drive me crazy when the timetable was changed for some reason –the students too. Teresa also shared a delightful extract from Oppressed Hair by Alice Walker.

The routine we share can be a specific as an occasional trip to the salon, or it might be an everyday routine.  Whatever we, we should be sure to delve into every detail so we can feel like we are right there. We are free to write in poetry or prose, and to use one of the images for inspiration.