Jazz

Arthur kept vigil in my arms
From evening to dawn
Unmoved by my stirring
It’s unlike him
That’s how I knew
That she was gone
Before I knew she was gone

Jazz was named Mary once
Until we took her home
From the Green County Humane Society
She was the friendliest
She was a year old, they thought, maybe
Had already been a mother
Before she ended up there
Until we took her home
I named her Jasmine
But we all called her Jazz

She slept on my mama’s shoulder
For years and years
And had more grace and patience
Through dogs, and visiting cats
Than we did
She liked to nap on the heated bathroom floor
She liked to let us love her, hard
Without a bite or a hiss
Grace, patience, that cat

We all knew that when she left
It would be because she was ready
She kept knocking on the door
These past years
And then declining when it opened
Not yet, not yet, I have more to do
More sun to soak
And bisque to eat
And love to give
Until she’d given every last drop of herself
And she was ready

We love you, baby girl
Thank you for all these years
You watched over us

With Love,
Natalie