Queen's Consort

you always were adorably cute, but you loathed me at first
trespassing in your domain, towering obscenely high
there's only so much ill humour that one can take
so eventually it became a very satisfactory mutual dislike
we both tolerated the other's presence,
with digs and taunts on the sly
hissing and posturing like snakes giving warning
but then settling in for reluctant truce
all for the benefit of our common love

by the time that fateful move-in day arrived, i had almost forgotten
about "our little problem", you bitch
but that demon was unleashed with unearthly growls and howls
you running around and screaming every time you saw me
knocking over all my things, with a malicious smile
my sleep was fitful, frequently interrupted by you
i had my own issues to deal with, you know?
a new move, two new roommates, a relationship on the brink
i didn't need your furry fury

little did i know
that our animosity, your hatred, would quickly thaw
in less than a week, you let me pet you a little
too much, and I had to break out the iodine
cleaning the thin and ragged tears in my flesh, but a little
led to more and some playing and true friendliness
you tried to sleep in between us at night, but I always shifted
needing my space during sleep, you groaned
still, we became friends, from the virtue of so much time
triple-cuddle on the couch was your favorite time

eventually, you grew to miss me and came to greet me
if I was the first one home, still less important than mommy
but a big outpouring of affection, you'd follow me
and rub my legs and seize any opportunity to jump
on my back and ride my shoulders like a proper queen kitty of Egypt
that is, until I got tired of your claws digging in for stability
and dislodged you to the hissing of your perceived rejection

as things grew increasingly bad in my romantic relationship
with your mommy spending more time at work and increasingly distant
our friendship grew even more, like a covenant of comfort
we both still loved her, but rejected by her icyness,
we found solace in each other, i remember how you jumped up
to try and turn my doorknob whenever i shut myself in my room
(to escape), you wanted to come lay with me
and then you started giving me the most adorable hugs
standing on your back legs and wrapping your little kitty arms around my calf
whenever i returned from being out

but when the human relationship got most brittle, it shattered
suddenly, you couldn't bear to be in my presence
you'd hide when I entered the house and no more hugs
you knew I was moving and were angry, trying to distance yourself
i was in too much pain to chase after you and besides she was
around all the time now (in a sharp reversal of her usual absences)
so i tried to be gone more and avoid the emotional violence
when i did finally leave, i missed you more than her, much more
you were the custody battle that never was
my eternal regret is the lack of visitation rights

Goodbye, sweet and surly Cheri