Depends on the day

In my own little corner

Of this small midwestern town

In my backyard

A a few felines gather

Some near, some far

The orange one is dirty

Loves to snuggle

And dig in the trash

He lives down the street

With some other family

A visitor is he

The calico one

She stays out

Of my trash mostly

She came curious

Wanted to see

What orange sees

She was skittish

Tell tale sign

She was no visitor

No family awaits her

Not only that

Her belly is swollen

A Mother

Luring her closer

Lunchmeat, hotdog, tuna?

You need energy, mom

Never let me touch her

Orange was bullying

She stayed back until a

sniff, lick, and snatch

Picked a large bit

and sprinted out of sight

I was sad

I wanted her

To stay longer

Get nice and full

She can move on then

But she's gone

And orange has plenty at home

If only she'd known

A week passes by

Not a sign of her

Until one day

I'm standing on

The back porch

There an adorable sight

Laid upon my eyes

Calico kitty and two

Playful, distracted babies

They have no idea

What mom led them to

She crept from the tree

Far back, right of the yard

That meets the ground

Yes- a little kitty hide out

Anytime we have scraps

Or 99 cent can of tuna

Just chillin' in a sack

I take them out back

Toss them in the tree

I don't always get the

Satisfaction of

watching them eat

But when I go back

Bones are picked clean

I feel a little better

In my small corner

Of this midwestern town

Knowing these kitties

Wouldn't eat

If I wasn't around

Seems the ones

Who need the most

Take the least

Because they are aware

Of suffering

People who don't know

Well- they just float

Right along

No thoughts to provoke

Are you an orange?

Or more of a calico

c. koontz