Hamster

It's called a hamster
My two-legged's cousin
Brought it in
The other day

It lives in a cage
It gnaws at its bars
Then goes to sleep
In its little tree-house

work

they go to work
they say
and leave

and it seems like
they leave a lot more often
than they come back

in the dark

the two-legged
don't know where they're going
in the dark
(I learned it the hard way)

I have to watch out
to make sure
not to stand
in their way

what makes it "their way"?
why should I move?

and why should they decide when to fill up my bowl?
why should I adapt to their schedule?
what makes them so special?

is it because they can stare at screens for so long?
because they make constant noises with their mouths?
because they always carry things in and out of the appartment?
because they're bigger than me?

they think they are so clever
but I remember
(I'll always remember)
all those times when they stepped on my tail
because they can't even see
in the dark

t-shirt

I have a t-shirt
a very fashionable yellow t-shirt
but I don't like it

when my two-legged
make me wear it
I don't recongnize my own body
I don't understand how it works anymore

I lay on the floor
not moving
until they take the t-shirt off

Personal drama

I'm going through
personal drama
right now

I'm feeling moody
grumpy
and nostalgic

Every once in a while
my two-legged
used to give me
these tasty moist bites
and I loved them so much
that I forgot all
my insecurities
about seeing the bottom of my bowl,
panicking
and saving the last kibbles
I emptied my bowl
and licked it clean
thinking only of
the pleasure I felt

that food doesn't exist
anymore
for many weeks now
my two-legged had me try
other moist foods
but I like none of them
I won't eat

I just go back to sleep
wishing I'll dream
about better days

tricks

the two-legged female
teaches me tricks
she says "roule"
and I roll on my back
she says "assis"
and I sit
she says "pousse"
and I push the object in front of me
she says "donne la patte"
and I put my paw in her hand
then she gives me
a little treat

I really don't
see the point
in all this
(except for the treat)
but she really seems
to be enjoying
herself...

purrs

the two-legged female sleeps
with me curled up
against her arm
she tries to purr like me
but she isn't good at it
she has to stop
to breathe

bottom of bowl

this morning I saw
the bottom of my bowl
scarce kibbles
make me insecure

I tried to wake up the two-legged female
then the two-legged male
I walked on them
talked to them
jumped on them
hit them with my tail
they both groaned
but didn't wake up

what if they don't wake up
and I never eat again?
in a panic I decide
to save my last kibbles

My resolve was firm
when the female woke up
and finally filled
my bowl

kisses

I don't like the intimacy
of kisses
when my two-legged
dribble on me this way
my instinct says to bite
my lips contract
my whiskers move forward
but I do nothing

two-legged

my two-legged
enjoy touching me
they smell like me
and I smell like them
when they're away
I smell like something
that is not there
and I remember
they exist

alone

was alone
last night
two-legged female was gone
two-legged male too
I curled on the bed
one eye closed
the other watching the door
nobody came