Esther Mazakian - green rancour in the hushed resilience outside waning as if for spite

Radiant energy and light and photosynthesis
so essential as to be mocking.
Spring shot up from the ground, tulips leapt
into her arms, glorious, white
their sudden headstrong rancour for sleep strong

as his insistence on dying past
fall. Darted
behind the drapes and she darted too, when her deter-
mination alone would kill his indifference.
She fought
arrangements, brought him home
from the hospital to bathe him
herself, clear
the litter burring his black coat, apply the post-

surgical cream to the eczema on his
shaved belly, cradle
his perfect body, furred embodiment of her
life span, while his eyes
nearly callous
and green, green waning into yellow, yellow waning
to spite her,

his stubborn interloper, choking
his stiff limbs in hers, his
paws padding
her hair, her cheeks, her lashes
but inadvertently;
his life was not to care for
the sorrows of these,
these that search for solace in the grass, pull
wings off living flies of fire, procrastinate
examinations and appointments
and fresh water, little

shits who, whenever they get the chance,
burn their cigarettes into the hushed resilience outside