Sunday Evening

Beau-Cat Boy-Cat Bad-Cat

is on the counter again,

watching goddaughter cook.

Mariah laughs at my protest

and sets an emptied can

by his greedy nose. I turn on

the grill. She steps over

the puppy as she passes

from sink to stove. In the next

room, Belle-the-Cat swipes

at the old dog’s tail. He

ignores her. A squirrel

performs acrobatics

on the squirrel-proof feeder

in the garden. The grill

is smoking. Mariah butters

the bread and slides

sandwiches onto the hot

plate. They sizzle. Bruce-

the-Budgie sings back

to them. No two creatures

in this household are

related by blood. This

braid is stronger.  

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