Poetry by Joe Balaz

Feeling Feline
by Joe Balaz






Nine lives

are simply not enough—

there’s too many mice to catch

too many birds to ambush

and too many dogs to piss off.


Rodents

feather flappers

and canine chumps

just a few play things

to keep my whiskers twitching.


All of this environmental stimulation

takes a backseat though

to that human being in the kitchen

opening a can of tuna

with my paw print on it.


No wonder

the ancient Egyptians

worshipped me—

if I’m not the actual center of the universe

I’m damn well close to it.


So I think

I’ll take a snooze

on the living room couch

and contemplate

my cozy existence.

You can pet me

anytime you want—

I’ll be dreaming a smile

wider than a Cheshire cat.


Author bio:

Joe Balaz lives in northeast Ohio. He is the author of Domino Buzz, a cd of music-poetry www.joebalaz.com He is also coauthor of JOMA—online, an online gallery of concrete poetry and photography with photo-artist Mary Ellen Derwis www.jomaonline.com His recent work has appeared in or is forthcoming from Icon, Oregon Literary Review, AdmitTwo, Eleventh Transmission, Right Hand Pointing, Neon Literary Magazine, Zygote in my Coffee, The Cerebral Catalyst and Otoliths.