hey, hold down the fort
for me. feed the cats. don’t
let them have that bag of
rice they’ve been eying 
for days. they’ll get high
play with it all night until
it’s in all our shoes – little
legos waiting to be stepped
on. you don’t have to scoop
their shit, but it has that baby
smell, so that’s up to you.

the small one, black with a heart
of a squirrel, isn’t hiding. just
look up, she’s the queen of the 
castle. though truthfully, scared
of everything down below.

the boy who curls his body
against any smile, don’t let him
fool you. he’s the one
leading the rice bag rebellion 
and would purr until his heart gave
out. the big girl, my sweet big gentle
giant cross-eyed baby, she’s just like me –
and will eat too much. mostly out 
of boredom. don’t let her become 
as big as the world she lives in.

she wouldn’t be able to find room
for anything else. there i go,
projecting again. any who
i hope this isn’t too much. call me
when you need. the broom is in the kitchen.