Belonging

"And it's just a box of rain
I don't know who put it there"
The Grateful Dead
she mewed monotonously
that kitten - sated
seated at our feet
Grateful Dead playing
alongside her lost-and-found dirge
about a cardboard discard
outdoors, out of luck,
I left her in place of us
pitter-pattering feet
pitiless rain
packing one strong box
- all my earthly goods

De’s quadrille prompt: Thinkin’ inside the box – and since it’s somewhat belated, this one belongs in the Imaginary Garden too

23 thoughts on “Belonging

  1. Love the alliteration in this verse and the onomatopoeic overture of those p-sounds. And “cardboard discard” creates a ruthlessly evocative feeling of being unwanted.

  2. Fantastic wordplay in this one, Laura 💜 I love “cardboard discard.” 😊

  3. I love that your use of alliteration makes me think of music–perfect choice for the poem’s motif, of course. The ending left me sighing…

  4. I love the juxtaposition of a mewing kitten and the Grateful Dead, Laura. The cats we had previously never minded heavy music but Luna and Mojo leave the room! I also like the wordplay: sated/seated and cardboard discard; the alliteration in the final lines; and the image of moving out in the rain and leaving the kitten behind. It reminded me of two cats I had to leave behind when I moved from Germany to Ireland.

  5. All my earthly goods… What we have measured by the size and type of the box that holds it. Who we are defined by what we love, kittens and music. Good choice, beautiful piece. Both the rain and the feet pitter patter. Clever and purposeful.

Comments are closed.