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Cerridwen's Cats
Cerridwen & Persephone drive the hwy northbound
To the veterinary hospital, 2 cats from the swamp
Stir disturbed in cages in the back seat
Persephone speaks to them softly, Cerridwen smokes &
Hates us because there is a need to rescue
The children of Bast
The marble pet hospital floor bounces the wails
Of cats, the barking of dogs against sterile walls
Bantam rooster chicks fresh feathered stand in sparse
cages staring till someone buys them for five bucks a bird
a bandaged tail tip on a gold dog beats against the air
He buries his gold face between his owners legs
while the tall man pays the bill behind bullet proof glass
the video automatically plays a tape to the waiting room
this one educates on ticks and lice

Cerridwen signs the papers & pulls out her check book
while the swamp cats strain against the smells & the sheets
taped to their humane trap cages
She slides them to the aproned help
while Persephone checks the bulletin board
Full of notices mostly selling pit puppies,
she waves a hand - no harm, no fighting dogs, noo torture
the video announces various ways of alleviating the problems
of impacted canine anal glands, a man with a hanging mole
on his cheek picks up & nuzzles a Chihuahua, Nacho is his name
he says,pushing his face into the dog's fur Like a boy,
the bantams screech as the cats go covered into the back rooms
"Clean anal sacs," says the video, are part of good pet health
Cerridwen & Persephone leave the swamp cats
for the hour of their surgery Get some cokes,
have a smoke & wait to release them
Back to the swamp

Feral #18
was black like a panther
gold eyed & not afraid
not feral nestled in packing paper
discarded behind the warehouse
slitting eyes wet & heavy fur torn
won't come but calling
Cerridwen & I feed them
In the marsh born here or
Abandoned Children of Bast
All colors, horny, always
Too young

#18 ate our bait snapped
shut the humane trap
speaking softly & throw
quick the cover
thru the wire a small
face up widened gold eyes
she exposes fang hisses
yet turns the test positive
at the humane vet
sick with disease
we played god
inject her or spread it
she was pregnant too
in a word, in one breath
for the good of the others
for the good of everyone
for good