Domesticated

Cicadas chirring, left then right
while a neighbor’s calico
creeps through my yard,
home from a night of hunting,
her journey caught on camera.

My tortie demands attention,
nips at my toes to get it.
Am I her prey or her person?
Either way she is mine to love,
thankful for her steady companionship.

I wonder if she misses her freedom,
dreams of stalking mice,
the thrill of the pounce,
the catch, the meal?

Is she content within these walls,
never to hunt to fill her needs,
or does that steal some joy from her,
her wildness exchanged for extra hours of sleep?

I never knew her as a kitten,
but I’m sure she had her fun then.

Now I think she’s like me,
two old ladies,
happy for enough to eat,
a warm bed, a roof overhead,
and a quiet, appreciated peace.





Poetry by Melinda K Zarate The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 142 times
Written on 2026-08-15 at 15:20

Tags Cat  Pets  Companionship 

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Sameen The PoetBay support member heart!
This is a sweet and quietly thoughtful piece. The comparison between the calico roaming free and the tortie curled up inside works well, and the ending lands in a place of earned contentment. The question of whether domestic life steals some wild joy is genuinely interesting, but the poem answers it a little too quickly. The speaker projects peace onto the cat without much doubt or friction. A little more uncertainty there would make the final image of two old ladies feel less tidy and more true. Still, it's a comforting read.
2026-08-25


Albert Vynckier The PoetBay support member heart!
domesticated and tamed
now that I think about it

some animals can live inside the house
some must stay outside

does a man need to be domesticated
to live in his house ?

I love the collusion with your animals
animals don't judge humans
they don't see all the differences that we
as humans supposed more developed see between us
2026-08-15