Pets, pleading pitiful pets they are
In the solitude of my room at night
with the lights on
I see the old man on the other side in his room
It’s night, too
Caressing his darlings in silent solitude
We’re simultaneously feeding them
Questions – no answers – empty chairs
Wood waiting for someone to sit on it but
I only feed them on one chair

Tonight, I’ve friends over and my pets
are screaming and screeching
complaining about not being fed
they’re jealous of the old man’s
curled up on his lap on his single chair no other chair used
But in my room, there’s someone else sitting on the wood

Today, I decided to feast upon my pets
to devour their starved bodies from days of
waiting for me to sit in silent solitude
like the old man
I chew
and swallow and kill -
fill myself with their brooding bodies

I would like to tell the old man that
he should put his darlings in the microwave with
his two-minute steak cause
they’re not to cuddle with
but feeding on solitude
go out buy cats
I’d like to tell him
I can feel my belly digesting their screeches
I clean my mouth
I go out

Lara C. Wüster