This year is the first year I’ve lied to you without signaling I was lying
(lie is such a weird word to parse)
I meant to write only cat poems and disappointed you

On the night of the big show
We returned to find a dilapidated kitten at the back door
Knowing the rules, I pointed out that now
She is a crazy cat lady and 
She is a crazy kitten chick

The crazy cat lady, having failed many times before
Named it Jeffery Alice
While I made fun of it’s almost non-existent scraggly tail
Like a drunken rat’s

I live downtown in a small town
You are walking by right there
Yelling at your man 
Oblivious to me sitting right here
Sometimes I admire his restraint
Sometimes not

Last night late you were walking by
Jeffery Alice sitting on the sill
The skin between tattoos glowing in the streetlight
Like a negative
and you said
Jesus, it’s a fucking bobcat

I laughed 
You heard me