Lifetime Love

Aloof, cold, withdrawn. Yelling before dawn. Mean, angry, scared, Slashing and hissing when challenged or dared. How this is all that some can see, I must say, is totally beyond me. Well, not totally, but certainly beyond, And to them, I respond. Have patience, sit and wait, Have stillness be your state. The approach will come, eventually, And then trust can be gained, potentially. A chase doesn’t work for someone faster, Neither do charms for any spell-caster. But with quiet presence and calm They will eat from your palm. “They scratch and are rough!” They’re showing love tough, And what they’re asking is “Will you stay long enough?” They need to know how much it’s worth, For how much longer after a kitten’s birth, You will stay and love them And give them safety on this earth. It’s a test, and an important one at that, So they and your arm get in a bit of a spat, Because if you will stay for the punishment, They can trust you in combat. “I’m always awoken, in the middle of the night” Because they want you to see morning’s light. And because it is comfort to be so very near And vulnerable with one you hold dear. To some it sounds and, apparently, appears needy, But you keep all your attention to yourself, and that’s greedy. You’re the whole world to them, and they just want a little of you, Because they know you have a whole other life after them too.