Fluffy
Not all cats are exotic
And mysterious

Mine was a lover

Almost like a dog
He’d hang with the family
At the dinner table
Gliding under our feet
Banging on the wooden chair legs
And calling for more and more attention

Enormous cat - maybe 25 lbs?
And not fat one bit
Like a small wildcat
Both long and thick
Powerful, but friendly

Thick white and black fur
In vast swatches
But white all under

Top of the head black
Half a mustache
Under his nose

When I would cry
He would come to me
Matching my sobs
With his loud meows

Amazing whiskers
Jutting out all over
Tickling my face
When I would kiss him

Sunday afternoons
I’d watch sports
Lying on my belly
On our enormous pillow
In the center of the family room

And that big cat would watch too
Stately perched on my back
Front paws up at my neck
Claws digging into my sweatshirt

His soft torso and
Back legs down to my bottom
Like one of them big
Weighted blankets
But way better

And as the afternoon
Groaned along
The sports lulling me to sleep
We’d both be sacked out
Me snoring loudly
The cat purr buzzing along
Intermittently
Squeezing his eyes shut
Again and again

-Mark Woollett