How to Say Good-bye
Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect provides a poetry challenge each Monday. This week it’s to create a recipe poem.
Mocha before her nose became cancerous.
Mocha, aka Mocha Latte, and Mochabeans, (15) has cancer of the nose. Six weeks ago, we drove her to the vet thinking it was time. Jumping out of the vet’s arms, we chose to board her as we left for the weekend. We knew this day would eventually arrive. I will spare you the details of her nose but last night her eye started tearing as well. Weight loss as well, even though she eats like a pig.
I found her at a latte stand, 1994. A beautiful diluted calico, probably born feral. She was the most independent of the three cats. Three years ago, when she became the only cat, she finally decided to trust us enough to venture onto our bed and be part of the family along the two doxies. Last night she slept there all night, unusual and even stuck around this morning as I wrote.
So my recipe is how to say good-bye:
fold her into your lap
sprinkle love words
knead fur, take note
of her frailty
mix in memories
mousing skills, shyness, love of the garden,
and faithfulness
sift in trust and compassion
melt love into her fur
hold on- let go
once more
fold her into your lap
shed tears
Sweet, sweet, cat I do not want to say good-bye.
Postscript: 1:30 PM: Just returned from the vet. Mochabeans got a reprieve. The vet said based on the fact that she is eating, drinking water, active, we could choose to wait so we did. When asked if it were his cat what would he do, he said he would wait. She has lost more weight so it is a matter of time but not today. As I write, she went outside to lounge.
