Poem by Paul Digby

As the nights turn colder.

Four green lights, eerie orbs in the dark
Glint, then blink.
A rapid scamper behind blown hydrangeas
sends one kitten under cover
As another
darts across a moon-dappled lawn.

Other litters mewl into the world
Spawned by unwanted, abandoned creatures
Who screamed in the company of night
The part-time, pass time members of families moved on.
Doors closed, key-turned – blank as walls.

Scamper. Scarper.
“Scram!”
So many walls.

Inside warm homes we wonder at the incapacity
of others to care.
In warmth we sink into sofa somas
and feel out the problem.

“If only people were more responsible!”
say the responsible.
“If only people thought!”
say the thinkers.
“If only people cared!”
Say the carers as they tend the newest addition to their litter.

And their litters litter their living rooms,
Their bedrooms
Their hallways and their basements –
They purr up their trash-cans
Fur up the corners
Massage de-clawed, unflawed paddy paws and mewl.

Other cats rustle into corners under decks; within outhouses,
and prowl sidewalks.
They jaywalk – till light dash, then dart and hide.

KITTENS NEED HOMES – PLEASE TAKE ONE!
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!
PLEASE TAKE FIVE!

The haves have already
And cannot afford the time for concern.
The have-nots cannot
afford
– to concern themselves,
this time.

We need a new name – say the etymologists
We need a new outlook – say the onlookers
We need more money – say the controllers

Outside, under a hydrangea bush, soft dark turns to cold – and eyes close.

–By Paul Digby

My dear friend Paul sent me this poem, inspired by his compassion and sadness about the welfare of abandoned animals that roam the streets in our communities. His poem inspired the artwork that you see above.

With the rise of home foreclosures and economic disasters facing families, family pets are being left to the wild all too often. We need to do more in our communities to help families maintain their pets during economic hard times. We need to do more to encourage spay/neuter programs. We need to help abandoned animals find homes. Can you help? Please consider donating time, money and your spirit to your local animal rescue group. And if you can take in a new pet, please consider some of those at your local shelter. You will be so glad that you did!

BZTAT and her official spokescat, Brewskie Butt, support Friends of Stark Pound in Stark County, OH. If you would like to donate to this fine group, please check out the First Giving widget in the sidebar. Thx!