When the world does the 24 hours again,

Without anyone remembering I am alive,

My little fire of an orange cat will crawl onto me –

-reach out and press my face with his paw,

He then kisses me.

The house burned down behind me.

The flames rose,

Inferno as it was.

The fear as I watched this fire made my body shake.

I remembered fear in a primal way that I had not felt since I was a child.

The neighbors mutter quietly about the fire,

But no real connections have been made

About any fire – that one, or any other,

Or about us, all as neighbors

In a neighborhood where we all watched that house burn

And heard a woman yelling about her cat.

When the world turns around again,

Each 24 hours as it does,

Most of these turns are full of longing and want.

The world is full of sadness, and I am full of ridiculous wonder

Without anyone remembering I am alive

My little fire of an orange cat will crawl onto me -

-reach out and press my face with his paw

He then kisses me.

Every living thing in this world that is being dishonored, know that I connect with you.

Cow, Tree, Mountain, Grasshopper, Bird, River, Fish, I connect with you and know you are not loved enough.

Prarie Dog, Pig, Deer, Fox, Squid, know that I breathe too, and with every breath connect with you.