Poem (for Hazel)

Greetings and salutations dear kitty,
I must say that hello, it’s me again
It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you
And it feels like heaven knows when

I know that you’ve been visiting
With both my mom and dad
While I try to figure out
If I can handle you when you’re bad

I don’t mean to be insensitive
I don’t want you and I to fight
But I must admit one little thing
I can’t stand it when you bite!

I think I know so much more now
That you’d bite me when you were bored
But I’m still more than just a little bit upset
That you bit into my stereo’s power cord!

Oh my dearest Hurricane Hazel
(It’s the pet name that I have for you)
See, sometimes I really don’t know
If I have anything resembling a clue

I don’t know if I should keep you
I don’t know if with me you’ll stay
Because I don’t know if I’ll have the time
To always entertain you and play

One thing you should know, though
Your presence is sometimes missed
Even if I sometimes got angry at you
And more than just a little pissed

I hope you don’t feel the same about me
For all the things you could accuse
I didn’t meant to not feed you
I didn’t think that’s how you’d be abused

But there’s someone else who wrote to their cat
A songwriter named Laura Nyro
So it may be strange to be writing to you
But I secretly hope to be your hero

If you’re looking for another song about cats
Look up “Green Eyes” by Husker Du’s Grant Hart
So you know that I have good taste in music
And perhaps that’s something of a start

See, I know that I did at least something good
When you were in dire need of wanted rescue
So I hope you love me for that at least
Even if I didn’t always clean up after you

So my dearest, sweetest Hazel
I don’t know what I’m going to do
But I hope you know and are aware
That part of me, at least, still misses you

I really don’t know too much
And I hope you don’t mind if I vent
But I think I know that you’re happier now
And enjoyed the time together we spent