My Cat

This was written for an assignment where we had a to write a poem based on Andre Breton's 'Free Union'.

My cat with the freckled whiskers
With the watch dog tail
And the footed pajama gait
My cat with the strut of a free wandering beggar
My cat with the mouth of pincushions and pashmina
With teeth like clam shells
With a tongue of fishbone and pollen
With a tongue like a jaywalker
The tongue of a desert reptile
A tongue like a bobbing pigeon
My cat with paws like the toes of boots
With claws like fishhooks
With foot pads like old chewing gum left on the street
My cat with the tail like a meandering sailboat
A tail like a ballet dancer
A tail of streamers and confetti
My cat with the harvest moon eyes
With eyes like darting hummingbirds
With eyes of split cantaloupe and lemon trees
My cat with fur of glistening asphalt
With fur like park grass
With fur like a dusty chalkboard
My cat with the shark fin ears
With ears like shadows and oleander
The ears of cowhide and water damaged parchment
My cat with the jet engine purr
With a purr like the tide flowing over a rock worn shore
With the nose of overworked tire tread
A nose of pinched clay
My cat with the treetop gaze
With the gaze of an arrogant queen surveying her people