Poem: The Cat Will Not Go to Bed

The Cat Will Not Go to Bed

yet, he insists I take him
outside, at least for a few
minutes, or he will not
calm down.  If I don't,
I know what will happen,
the noise he will make
scratching the floor
or the door, no sleep
for me anyway.  He
only wants to go out
at night, these days,
though he loves
to lie in sunbeams
on the floor each
morning.  At night,
though, he can stand
in the dark, pretend
he is alone, sitting
always as far
from me as he can
without leaving
the patio he knows
is his domain. 
He has to do it
to seem cool,
I think, as there
are other cats
who visit the yard
in the night.  He stands
as though he is alone,
but always he will come
back inside with me
as soon as the door
is open again.

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