Ode to Barnabas

Hairless but not lacking cuteness
You long for my cuddling warmth
You do not speak my language
But oh, do I speak yours

An "eow" when you want my attention
A soft "meh" from your warm cozy refuge
An inaudible breath when I wake you from sleep
Or a "MEOOOW" when I'm starting to feed you.

And... at 6:30 each evening
(I could set my watch to the tick)
You realize it's time to play cat games
with your mouse on a string on a stick

I fling it around with a flick of my wrist
And you run like a tiger on catnip
You jump on the couches, the bookshelf, the window
With crazy impossible backflips.

But when you get tired, you curl up on me,
In my armpit you nestle your nose
It tickles a bit, but I know that you like it
It smells most like me, I suppose

You and me, baby, we fit like a glove
Oh, Barnabas... You love love.