Sappho by Lisa R. MacDonald / Lisa

I had brand new books.
Adrienne Rich, Denise Levertov, T.S. Eliot
And Sappho – ancient Sappho
Alabaster fragments
As remote as any of
The Gods that tip-toed through
the stars
The day I found you;
The day you ate Sappho’s book
Of Poetry.
And launched yourself
Into my life
Crooked tail and all.

Sappho.
You spoke so plainly.
Your music was
stitched
With gentleness
And gentleness
Is what you taught me.

Your poet.
How many glorious lines
Of verse did you eat?
How many of my own
Moments of wild Epiphany
Did you digest

And give back to me all over again
In those hours
When the rest of the world
Was quiet

Except for the
Dancing of pen and paw.
I still have footprint scansion
Marking paragraphs,
line by line

And you were always there

Until the day came
When you were not.
And

Somewhere
You have lingered
Your Myawwwing
Rolls right into your liquid purr.

And you are as light as air
And you remain forever
My muse.
And though you have gone
To tip-toe with the gods amongst the stars
the best lines
Are yours to bat around
And make your pillow.

 

rhapsody of meows, you are missed.