Coach Potato

Coach Roswell tipped his hat
to the stars.
Soon they were inside his head.
Every day he grew more
unfamiliar with his skin.
The league said there were limits
to this team thing he envisioned.
But tryouts were open to everyone,
from slugs to superheroes.
They played a game without rules,
and he adored them for it.
Sometimes he felt all buttery inside,
even seasoned with ground pepper.
His playbook consisted of dreams.
And every night he split apart
so the dogs could lick his heart.

Dog Lord

An Old Cat

Old Cat
An old cat is like a small storm,
creaking, scratching,
leaving detritus in its wake,
its svelte prowl
has become a stumbling lurch.
It twitches in sleep,
dreaming of the climb.
Its purr is now mixed
with yawns and groans.
Its plaintive cries
fall on its own deaf ears..
Its eyes, once magical,
now hold a mist.
And the worst part of an old cat
is knowing how you’ll miss it
when it’s gone.