Serenity

I had a troubled dream last night
That caused me a lot of angst
It seems I could not do one thing right
I reaped not a word of thanks;
As innocently I trod
One blunder after another
The blame fell on me in torrents
Of fire and storm and thunder;
Mental gaps with no recall
I wandered in painful pause
And gathered the ire of many
Without reason rhyme or cause;
An old man thrown into his past
Without the youth to live it
I was an act of contradictions
On a set with no forgiveness;

Relief came only briefly
As reality cleared my vision
I awoke to the pleas of our dear cat
He was in need of food—
I stumbled thru the darkness
He stopped and waited for me
As my brain searched for mood
And clarity and such;
I stepped on his tail
He sprang with vigor
Then hit the tiles
And slid for miles and miles
Broad siding all of his eating utensils;
He shot upright in youthful pose
Then disappeared from sight
I could not find him after that
As morning cleared the night;

I surveyed the damage
And found no solace
I must have killed my cat
He left to die in solitude
That’s all there was to that;

In tearful bereavement I carried on
I’d lost my place in life
Who was next in line to die
My friends my foes my wife?
The day wore on and I grew weary
My heart sank very deep
And then I knew my punishment was
To face my fate in sleep;
It knew my fears and it cared not
I was its heartless toy
To beat and bash mercilessly
It had no time for joy;
When suddenly I heard a sound
So far away yet near
And snuggled there upon my bed
Where only I could hear
My buddy was yawning serenely
Back in his warm locale
Contented he alone acknowledged me
With a magical…meow.