The appointment made, the car
leaning into parkway curves,
no turning around for a small
caged cry from the back seat.
In the exam room I stroked
the black and white hairs on her skull.
Unhappy cat. Never purred,
drove other cats to cower under sofas.
The needle slid into her leg.
Uncontrollable tears. The vet
touched my arm, not knowing
I was crying for years
of failed affection,
the want of love, the times
I could have been
the one to slide the needle.
預約已定，汽車
沿公園大道彎曲前行，
後座傳來微弱的
籠中哀鳴，卻無法回頭。
診室里，我撫摸
她頭骨上黑白相間的毛發。
不快樂的貓。從不呼嚕，
常把其他貓嚇得躲在沙發下。
針頭滑入她的腿。
淚水不受控制。獸醫
輕觸我的手臂，不知
我哭的是多年
未能給予的愛意，
渴望卻未得的愛，那些
本該由我來
注射的時刻。