That Milky Animal Love

The tiger kitten looks sickly
The acetylene of her glare has snuffed,
leaving her befuddled and limp.

Freezing rain snuffles in the gutters,
creases the snow in the driveway.

Must we drive her in the weather
fifty miles to the Concord clinic?

We disagree on trifles but not
about the health of pets.

                          I wonder
though, how deeply these sulphurous
moment pierce our implumbed parts.

We agree that an animal's loss
of poise speaks of dissonance
quivering in fog in the fields.

We agree that the headstrong bark
of the neighbor's shepherd exclaims
with unfortunate melodrama.

As we peer into the kitten's gaze
a muddle of brackish motes stirs
in the air.

              These unvoiced phonemes
emanate from each of us
to silt every breath we take.

the kitten even in illness
clings to us,

                           and we savor
that milky animal love the way
we used to savor each other.

We find a local vet willing
to see her today.

                          The rain crusts
the trees and renders driving
far more deadly than usual,

yet a lucent knowledge sprawls across
the spectrum, too naked to ignore.

— William Doreski